Poplar Fire Reaches 100 Acres in Mitchell County; NC 197 Closed

MITCHELL COUNTY -- March 24, 2026: Firefighting crews are currently battling the Poplar Fire, a wildfire on U.S. Forest Service (USFS) land that has grown to approximately 100 acres as of Tuesday morning.According to the Mitchell County Fire Marshal and Emergency Management, the blaze has a potential spread area of up to 275 acres. Firefighters have achieved 20% containment so far, though operations remain intensive.Road Closures and Traffic ImpactsDue to active daytime firefighting operations a