Wildland firefighters from other states are headed to the Chattanooga area to help control a fire that covered the city in a smoky haze Monday morning.
The wildfire in the Flipper Bend area of Signal Mountain has grown to more than 150 acres, according to Hamilton County Emergency Management spokeswoman Amy Maxwell.
Twenty wild land firefighters from the Tennessee Forestry Division and Tennessee State Parks are in the woods this morning working to build fire breaks.
The additional 10 firefighters from other states are en route, as the fire continues growing.
The fire was 65 acres Sunday, as state and U.S. Forestry aircraft dropped water on the blaze, which started Saturday.
Smoke crept into Chattanooga area Monday morning, prompting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau to encourage residents to stay indoors with the windows and doors closed.
“A temperature inversion has occurred this morning creating a layer of smoke that has not dissipated,” according to a news release from the bureau. “We expect the air quality to improve later this morning as the inversion lifts.”
Maxwell noted in a Monday morning news release that weather is favorable today for firefighters.
“Light winds,” she wrote.
However, steep terrain and unstable rocks are posing challenging firefighters.
No structures are considered endangered by the fire, which is just the latest in a month-long series of wildfires that have coincided with an extreme drought.
Just 0.08 inches of rainfall were recorded at the Chattanooga airport in October, equaling the driest October in city history.
Another fire continues to burn on Lookout Mountain in Dade County, Ga.
The Air National Guard helicopters assisted with the Flipper Bend fire were also dropping water on another wildland fire in Sequatchie County, Tenn., Monday morning.
The air pollution control bureau also encouraged residents to avoid running their air conditioners and minimize outdoor activities.
“Additionally, small pets can also be impacted by unhealthy air and should be brought indoors if possible,” the bureau release said.
This is a developing story stay with the Times Free Press for more details.