Light rain to help against N.C. wildfire

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., March 27 (UPI) -- Fire commanders say full containment of a wildfire on a North Carolina military base will depend a lot on the whims of the weather Sunday night.

The blaze on the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base was 75-percent contained and overnight rain was in the forecast.

"A third of an inch of rain won't put the fire out, but it will enable us to get the fire contained," said David Brown, spokesman for the North Carolina Forest Service.

The National Weather Service was predicting rainfall amounts generally less than a third of an inch over most of the state, although humidity will remain high and temperatures low.

Forestry officials told the Daily News in Jacksonville, N.C. that the blaze that burned 10,500 acres had been slowed to a crawl, which was allowing brews more time to clear fuel and build firebreaks.

A joint statement from the Forester Service and the Marines said smoke in the area around the fire continued to reduce visibility along three highways in the area.