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National Fire Plan Success Story

River Run Plantation
North Carolina Division of Forest Resources
National Fire Plan - Community Assistance
2008

River Run Plantation is a 375-acre community situated along the Lockwood Folly River, in Southeastern Brunswick County, North Carolina (NC). This section of NC has some of the most volatile forest vegetation in the Carolina Bays. The heavy fuel loads often exceed 20 tons per acre. River Run Plantation currently has approximately 150 homes and more than 600 undeveloped lots. Many of these lots are heavily overgrown and in many cases closely border existing homes. The community has a high risk for wildfire, primarily due to the overgrowth in these undeveloped lots and some common areas, along with the fact that it is surrounded by undeveloped, heavily forested, land with a history of wildfire.

The River Run Plantation community held a community wide education day for fire prevention and fire safety to educate their residents. This huge success allowed organizing a large clean up day to assist homeowners with removal and disposal of hazardous fuels around their homes. In November 2003, River Run Plantation became NC’s first Firewise Communities USA recognized community. The North Carolina Division of Forest Resources (NCDFR), Sun Set Harbor Fire Department, Zion Hill Fire Department, and River Run Plantation have developed an outstanding relationship to reduce the risk of damage and loss from wildfires in the community.

Along with education efforts, the community has conducted mechanical fuel removal and modification projects the past five years utilizing community block grant funds awarded by the NCDFR. Over the past two years, work has been competed to build an emergency exit from the community to be used during evacuations from wildfires and to allow entrance of fire suppression equipment into the community. Outreach efforts to other interested communities have created interest from several developments in the area resulting in one additional Firewise Communities USA recognized community from River Run’s efforts.

Contact: Gary Wood, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, 919-553-6178 ext. 225, gary.wood@ncmail.net.