USDA Forest Service firefighters are battling the Black Swamp Fire on the Croatan National Forest.
Officials said the fire, which started on Sunday, covers about 850 acres and is 40-percent contained.
It remains completely within National Forest System land, and the cause is under investigation.
Black Swamp Road and the Black Swamp OHV area are temporarily closed, and officials are asking people to avoid the area while crews work to contain the fire.
Because of smoke from the fire, a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day has been issued for areas that include Maysville, Pollocksville, and Trenton.
Forecasters with the North Carolina Division of Air Quality said an inversion, where a layer of warm air sits above cooler air, is expected and surface winds are light to calm in the area, trapping smoke near the surface.
A Code Orange Air Quality Action Day has been issued for Jones County; that means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including people with respiratory issues like asthma or COPD, as well as children, older adults, and those actively engaged in outdoor activities.
