North Carolina wildfires double in size

From The Associated Press: A wildfire that started on a wildlife refuge in eastern North Carolina and burned into privately owned rural land doubled in size as it sent smoke and ash as far away as the Outer Banks and neighboring Virginia. The fire consumed just over 32 square miles of forest and fields at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. About half the fire was burning on the refuge and about half was on private land in Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington Counties, officials said. No injuries were reported and no structures had burned, said Brian Haines, spokesman for the North Carolina Forest Service. The fire started from lightning on Sunday. Evacuation orders were issued for homes in parts of Tyrrell County and for Hyde County. The authorities had asked 39 homeowners around Lake Phelps to leave on Wednesday.