Macon County -- February 11, 2026: The Winding Stairs Alpha Fire in Nantahala National Forest is now 90% contained and 230 acres.
Yesterday, firefighters built handlines and dozer lines along the western edge of the fire and mopped up on the northeastern perimeter. Crews also carefully planned and carried out a small firing operation along Highway 64 to reinforce the highway control line and reduce potential for further spread.
The Winding Stairs of Alpha Fire area in Macon County received rain overnight and is expected to receive more precipitation throughout the day, which should aid suppression efforts.
Drivers should use cation along Highway 64 as firefighting equipment and personnel remain active in the area.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝟔𝟒 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝟗:𝟑𝟎 𝐚.𝐦. 𝐭𝐨 𝟏𝟎:𝟎𝟎 𝐚.𝐦. 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐤.𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞@𝐮𝐬𝐝𝐚.𝐠𝐨𝐯.
Smoke from the fire can cause limited visibility and may impact local air quality. Drive slowly and use caution on roads where smoke may be settling. The public can check for air quality alerts at https://airquality.climate.ncsu.edu/ or https://fire.airnow.gov.
For the latest wildfire updates, follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook at U.S. Forest Service - National Forests in North Carolina or visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/northcarolina.