United States: High temperatures, together with strong winds and arid conditions, enabled western North Carolina wildfires to rapidly spread through the area, thus putting more regions damaged by Hurricane Helene at risk.
More about the news
As North Carolina Forest Service spokesperson Jeremy Waldrop told CNN affiliate WLOS while describing a large number of leaves and trees that fell during the hurricane, “In my career, 20-year career, this is the most fuel I’ve seen on the ground.”
“A lot of heavy fuels we’ve seen on the ground currently,” Waldrop mentioned.
The wildfires across South and North Carolina present the same level of firefighting challenges because Hurricane Helene brought down timber throughout the region, as CNN reported.
WLOS has released videos documenting how dry forests within North Carolina have been ravaged by flames while helicopters fill the air with water during massive smoke columns.
Public safety officials in North Carolina initiated a necessary evacuation order for residents in Polk County, which contains 20,000 people, across 80 miles west of Charlotte, on Saturday evening.
What more are the experts stating?
According to Polk County resident Melissa Holland told fire officials while attending a recent community meeting, “We live in a rural area, and so not everyone has internet here or even has great cell service,” and “It’s very spotty,” CNN reported.
Holland desires better communication channels between the county and its residents because local residents mostly learn about orders through community sharing rather than established channels.
CNN contacted the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, but it did not provide data about the affected population despite setting up a shelter facility in Columbus.
The Black Cove Fire northeast of Saluda reached a size of more than 2,076 acres by Sunday night, together with the Deep Woods Fire northwestern of Columbus, which had expanded to 2,545 acres.
Both fires remained uncontained. Services measured The Fish Hook Fire on private Lake Adger land to be smaller than 199 acres.
Mass Evacuation underway
Authorities officially canceled the fire evacuation orders on Sunday night.
The personnel working to contain the three wildfires included 249 individuals from North Carolina and other parts of the country, according to the North Carolina Forest Service.
The wildfires have destroyed four properties within Polk County, according to Kellie Cannon, who serves as the county’s spokesperson, and officials declared a red alert for air quality conditions.