A local firefighter is in a burn center recovering from injuries received while fighting a wildfire Saturday.
Captain Terry Rholetter was among the firefighters from several agencies responding to a wildfire in the Mountainside Road and Big Ridge Road area on Highway 441 North, off Cowee Mountain.
Rholetter was installing a fire control line when the fire broke the line, according to Macon County Emergency Management Director Warren Cabe. Rholetter serves as a captain with Macon County Fire Services and as chief of Otto Fire and Rescue.
Macon County EMS transported Rholetter from the scene to a landing zone, and he was flown to JMS Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Georgia.
Dustin Rholetter said Monday that his brother was recovering from surgery. “It will be the first of many surgeries. He has a long road ahead of him.”
Rholetter said most of the burns were on Terry’s legs and arms. He expects that his brother will spend several weeks in the ICU before being transferred to another part of the hospital.
Cabe said the call about the fire came in from a resident at 220 Mountainside Road at about 1 p.m. Feb. 12. Mountain Valley Fire and Rescue, N.C. Forest Service and Macon County Fire Services initially responded to the fire with reports of structures in danger. With gusty winds and difficult fire conditions at the scene, Cullasaja Gorge and Cowee fire departments from Macon County and Savannah Fire Department from Jackson County were also called to assist.
The basement of one house caught fire, but firefighters were able to contain the fire before it spread to the rest of the house.
Cabe said Monday that an injury review was initiated to document the incident and provide guidance for preventing a similar incident in the future.
“We politely ask that all respect the privacy of his family during this difficult time,” Cabe said. “Capt. Rholetter is an accomplished and dedicated public servant and a very strong person, and the firefighter family across North Carolina and beyond will work diligently to assist him and his family through the recovery process.”
Dustin Rholetter said the Burn Foundation is assisting the family as well.
Use caution when burning
Benjamin Keener, county ranger with the N.C. Forest Service, said the fire burned about 6.5 acres. Saturday’s fire was just one of several over the last few days. A fire in Highlands burned about 5 acres. About the same time as the Mountainside fire, crews were fighting a fire on Clarks Chapel that burned about an acre, and there was a fire in the Patton Community on Sunday.
Keener said most of the fires are being caused by people burning brush. “Be super cautious when burning and if possible wait until it rains or while it is raining,” he advised.
On Saturday, Feb. 12 the N.C. Forest Service reported 131 fires statewide consuming 262.2 acres. To date for the month, 441 fires have burned 952 acres across the state.