PHOTO: Smoke fills the Martha's Falls area of Little River Canyon. (Photo by Tyler Pruett) 

By Tyler Pruett, Managing Editor 

tyler@southerntorch.com

BROOMTOWN, Ala. — High winds and dry conditions resulted in the fire at Little River Canyon spreading on Saturday. According to U.S. Park officials, over 100 acres have burned as of late Saturday afternoon.

“It has not crossed Highway 35, it has crossed County Road 861. We’re trying to keep it from spreading across 35," said Troy Mueller, Chief Ranger for the Little River Canyon National Preserve. 

While the fire had spread rapidly, Mueller remained optimistic that the fire would slow that night.

“The winds are dying down tonight and the humidity is going up, so the fire is starting to slow down a little bit,” Mueller said. 

Several different aircraft were flying above to support the effort to contain the blaze on the ground. A large, fixed wing tanker was dropping fire retardant on power lines, and a CH-47, normally used for military applications, was dropping water to contain the blaze. Spotter planes were also being used to identify areas that needed water dropped and to see if the fire spread further.

“We’ve got air tankers dropping, and that’s having a good impact,” Mueller said. 

“We have aircraft dropping fire retardant along the power lines. That’s pretty much stopped it’s progression," added Mueller.

"It’s just trying to get these little spots out and away from the residences," he said. 

Down in the canyon, hot spots burned in Martha's Falls. About every five minutes, a large tree could be heard falling. Smoke filled the canyon which is normally filled with water.

The drought has caused over 300 wildfires across the state. Governor Robert Bentley issued a 'no burn order' for 46 counties in Alabama, including DeKalb and Cherokee Counties. This latest fire damaged one of the most visited natural wonders in the area.