As spring returns to the state, we also, less warmly, see the return of wildfires. As of April 1st, 2026, there are 7 wildfires currently burning across the state. The Cane Creek and Jumping Branch fires, both of which started on March 29th, have burned 650 acres and 275 acres, respectively. Jumping Branch (McDowell County) The North Carolina Forest Service stated that the fire was caused by improperly discarded smoking material. Hilary Brooke Inman, a 38-year-old resident of