Wildfires are raging in North and South Carolina, fueled by dry conditions, strong winds, and fallen trees from Hurricane Helene, prompting evacuation orders on Tuesday.
According to North Carolina Forest Service spokesperson Bo Dossett, many residents are still recovering from the impact of September’s hurricane.
Dossett explained that the abundance of downed trees from Hurricane Helene is hindering firefighters’ efforts to contain the blazes, adding to the ongoing challenges faced by residents since the fall. He emphasized that this is yet another hardship they are enduring.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for parts of the South Carolina Upstate, western North Carolina, and northeast Georgia until Tuesday night, anticipating conditions conducive to rapid wildfire spread due to dry air and winds reaching 10 to 20 mph (16 to 32 kph) with gusts of 25 to 35 mph (40 to 56 kph).
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for 146 properties in rural Polk County, approximately 80 miles (129 kilometers) west of Charlotte, North Carolina, as confirmed by county spokesperson Kellie Cannon. As of Tuesday, three fires in that county and neighboring Henderson County had consumed at least 9.6 square miles (25 square kilometers), with the two largest fires remaining uncontained, according to the forest service. Officials released maps indicating evacuation zones in both counties on Tuesday.
The Black Cove Fire is among the largest. While officials have determined that a downed power line ignited that particular fire, the causes of the other two remain under investigation.
Henderson County has implemented voluntary evacuation orders and established an emergency shelter. County spokesperson Mike Morgan stated that volunteer fire departments are on standby.
Morgan noted that they are prepared to protect homes in areas where the fire may spread, closely monitoring the situation.
Two fires are actively burning in the mountains of South Carolina. The fires in Table Rock State Park and nearby Persimmon Ridge have collectively burned 2.3 square miles (5.9 square kilometers), according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Officials have attributed both fires to human activity and reported that neither was contained as of Monday night.
While no injuries or imminent threats to structures were reported as of Monday night, voluntary evacuations were issued for approximately 100 homes over the weekend. On Tuesday morning, the forestry commission revised an earlier announcement, stating that no evacuations were planned near the Persimmon Ridge Fire. However, residents were strongly encouraged to be prepared to evacuate if advised to do so in the future.
The forestry commission emphasized that the weather forecast for the coming days remains a concern, with anticipated low relative humidity and wind speeds that could contribute to further fire spread.
North Carolina State University forestry and environmental resources professor Robert Scheller suggests that dry weather combined with the extensive debris of trees toppled by Hurricane Helene last year is contributing to an extended and intense fire season in the Carolinas. Scheller had previously predicted this scenario if dry conditions followed the hurricane.
Scheller explained that Hurricane Helene left a substantial amount of combustible material on the ground, and subsequent flash droughts have allowed it to dry out quickly.
Despite recent rainfall, much of the Carolinas are currently experiencing abnormally dry conditions or a moderate drought, .
“`