This Land, Your Land

The eight National Wildlife Refuges on North Carolina's coast remain closed in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, and the Fish & Wildlife Service says "typical damage suffered by these refuges" includes damage to structures, roads and natural resources.

The Great Dismal Swamp NWR, which is administered in Virginia but stretches into North Carolina, also remains closed to the public. The reserve only has partial power and a single phone line, and radio communications remain out.

Irene did bring some good news to the Great Dismal Swamp, F&WS says. An aerial flight after the storm showed the fire that had been burning there for most of the month was mostly under water. Still, up to 40 hotspots continued smoking.

Scroll down for reports from other areas.

The Wilmington Star-News published this photo below of an inlet created by Hurricane Irene just south of the freshwater ponds on Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on Hatteras Island.