Southeast winds are bringing smoke and haze from wildfires along the coast to most of central North Carolina.
Residents in Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Chapel Hill are experiencing the haze, and local law enforcement agencies say they have received numerous calls about the smell of smoke.
The cause is wildfires in Pender, Dare and Hyde Counties. The most recent fire to start was last last week in Pender County due to a lightning strike.
NBC-17 Chief Meteorologist Wes Hohenstein says the fire really grew Monday and then winds at the surface started blowing out of the southeast early Tuesday. Those winds will hold through Tuesday night.
Hohenstein says winds are expected to slowly turn out of the southwest Wednesday, which will help start to push the smoke out of central North Carolina. The problem is winds on Wednesday will be very light, so whatever happens to the smoke will happen very slowly.
The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources predicts Code Orange conditions west of the Triangle and north of Rocky Mount and Elizabeth City.
As a result of the haze, the Department of Transportation says visibility is limited and is urging drivers in central N.C. to use extra caution while driving.
A spokesperson at Raleigh-Durham International Airport says flights have not been delayed or canceled due to the smoky conditions and they don't anticipate any problems.
Officials say the wildfire in Pender County was likely caused by lightning Saturday night. The fire, which is near the Holly Shelter Game Land, has grown to 3,300 acres since Saturday.
The state Division of Forest Resources have asked for additional crews to battle the fire. Meanwhile, state and local officials have closed the Holly Shelter Game Land for safety reasons as they continue to battle the fire.
Emergency crews want to remind residents to only call 911 if they see smoke or flames coming directly from their home or building.
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