Suspicious incendiary device found near Blue Ridge Parkway prompts evacuation

Rangers with the National Park Service (NPS) responded to a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, North Carolina, on Sunday after receiving reports of a suspicious item in the dirt.

Officials with the NPS said the device was located near an intersection by the Folk Art Center at about 11:45 a.m.

The Asheville Police Department Bomb Squad, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation responded to the scene, as did fire and emergency crews from Asheville and Riceville.

The NPS said the Folk Art Center was evacuated and a section of the parkway was closed temporarily as a precaution.

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Specialists safely removed the item, and the NPS said there are no current threats to the public.

Officials referred to the device as an “Improvised Incendiary Device.” The NPS did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for further information.

The NPS said its investigative services branch is investigating the matter.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch at 888-653-0009, by submitting a tip at go.nps.gov/SubmitATip, or by emailing the agency at [email protected].

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Construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway began nearly 90 years ago at Cumberland Knob, North Carolina, which is at the Virginia border.

Since then, the parkway has become an integral part of the mountains and the Appalachian communities that lie along its 460-mile route, as well as a gateway to the region’s culture and history.

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With a top speed of 45 mph along its curving roads, the parkway also offers a chance for visitors to slow down and enjoy the scenery. The 264 overlooks offer breathtaking views of the mountains and valleys, sunrises and sunsets, and the stars on clear nights.

The parkway connects Shenandoah National Park with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It starts at Rockfish Gap, Virginia, intersecting Skyline Drive, and winds southwest through Virginia into mountainous western North Carolina. 

Travelers will find campgrounds and hiking trails, glimpses of small-town Appalachian life in places like Floyd, Virginia, the small cities of Roanoke, Virginia, and Asheville, North Carolina, and many other treasures tucked away in the mountains.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.