Fire on North Carolina’s Cold Mountain is now controlled

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service says the fire on western North Carolina’s famed Cold Mountain has been officially declared as controlled.

Forest Service spokeswoman Adrianne Rubiaco told the Asheville Citizen Times on Tuesday that the blaze came under control on Monday. She also said that the entire Shining Rock Wilderness protected area is now open.

The fire on the 6,000-foot summit was first reported on Nov. 21 and covered about 50 acres. The blaze expanded to 220 acres and forced the temporary closure of the 18,000-acre wilderness area.

Crews had dug containment lines to stop the fire from spreading to homes.

The mountain has been featured in a popular novel and an award-winning movie. Charles Frazier’s best-selling book “Cold Mountain” is about a Confederate soldier’s journey through western North Carolina. The book was later adapted into a 2003 movie starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger.

The mountain is about 35 miles (55 kilometers) from the city of Asheville.