“Wildfires Devastate Carolinas, Prompting Evacuations and Aid Appeals”
Efforts are underway to extinguish wildfires in Tryon, N.C., as evacuation orders are issued in the western foothills of the Carolinas where multiple wildfires are burning through dry woodlands. A federal incident management team, assisted by firefighters from out-of-state, including a group from Oregon, is tackling fires in Polk County, North Carolina. Despite the intensity of the blazes, no injuries or fatalities have been reported.
Governor Josh Stein announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided a grant to assist the state in responding to the fires. The declaration of a state of emergency by Polk County government followed the outbreak of the Black Cove Fire, which has consumed over 2,000 acres in Green River Gorge and remains uncontained as of Sunday. Additional evacuations have been ordered for residents in the affected area.
While firefighters continue their battle against the flames, progress has been made in containing the fires, with crews successfully holding the line in certain areas. The Deep Woods Fire, burning over 2,500 acres, and the Fish Hook Fire, part of the Black Cove Complex Fires, have seen some containment progress, offering cautious optimism to officials.
In response to the escalating situation, North Carolina has enforced a statewide burn ban to prevent further wildfires. South Carolina is also facing a fire on Table Rock Mountain in Table Rock State Park, leading Governor Henry McMaster to declare a state of emergency in Pickens County. Residents are urged to adhere to the burn ban and exercise caution during this critical period.
The state Forestry Commission reported that a wildfire, which began on Friday, had grown to over 300 acres by Sunday afternoon. Additionally, another fire known as the Persimmon Ridge Fire was reported on Saturday and was estimated to be burning approximately 50 acres of state property in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. The commission attributed the fire’s growth to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which had impacted Western North Carolina and South Carolina in September.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission noted that spot fires were continuously igniting outside the original fire area, exacerbated by an abundance of downed timber left by Hurricane Helene. Earlier in the month, over 100 wildfires had affected South Carolina while firefighters in North Carolina battled blazes in all four of the state’s national forests.
Over the weekend, a weak high-pressure system in the foothills east of the Blue Ridge Mountains led to high temperatures in the 70s, strong gusts up to 28 mph, and red flag warnings indicating extreme fire danger, according to the National Weather Service office in Greer, South Carolina. Relative humidity was around 20% on Sunday, with a “fire danger statement” issued for the region due to elevated wildfire risk.
Federal forecasters suggested the possibility of rain on Monday as a low-pressure system passed through the area, but fire weather conditions could return during the workweek. The weather service warned of increased fire danger from Tuesday to Saturday due to low relative humidity and drier fuels. Both North and South Carolina have been classified as either “abnormally dry” or under moderate drought by the U.S. Drought Monitor, which is a collaborative effort involving government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
