Montreat’s Firewise program reminds us of the dangers of wildfire. Yard debris, leaves under porches and in gutters, woodpiles close to the house, mountain laurel growing adjacent to the house – all are scenarios where fire can spread rapidly and destroy property.
However, we should not overlook the danger posed by old heating systems, particularly if they are not regularly serviced. In 1993 Montreat suffered a significant fire that ultimately destroyed three houses on North Carolina Terrace and consumed approximately 450 acres. The fire ignited when the pilot light on the old oil furnace in the Craven home was lit for a group of renters on a Thursday afternoon. The ductwork, old and blocked with many years’ accumulation of dust, caught fire. In systems that are not used regularly or have not been used for a long period of time, this scenario can easily happen. Fire spread quickly throughout the house, accelerated by the duct lines.
The Black Mountain fire department responded to the fire. So did Montreat College students, who worked to keep the fire from spreading to nearby homes. Jane Holt was on the roof of her nearby home with a water hose, dousing embers as they flew onto her property. The fire was hot and it traveled fast. Ultimately, three homes were a total loss – the Craven home, Linger Longer, and the Yellow Honeysuckle. It took firefighters three days until Sunday to finish the cleanup.
Since then, Montreat has not experienced another major fire, although smaller blazes have been reported and extinguished. However, the recent fire that destroyed a building on Montreat College’s campus in Black Mountain should remind us all that it is an ever-present danger. In Montreat the danger is high because fire can spread so rapidly through our wooded surroundings. Support our Firewise program by doing what you can to avert the spread of fire.
