CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – No deaths had been reported yet in connection with ongoing wildfires burning in parts of North Carolina over the last several days, the governor said Thursday.

Multiple buildings and structures had been damaged or destroyed by eight active wildfires burning in multiple counties — most notably in Polk County, located in Western North Carolina. No deaths had been listed in connection with the fires, however, the governor said during a press conference on Thursday, March 27.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein on Thursday made a new emergency declaration for the state due to the fires. The declaration opens up federal funding and resources to aid with fire response and recovery efforts.

North Carolina was already under a state of emergency because of the deadly Hurricane Helene, which hit the state exactly six months earlier. At least 106 North Carolinians died because of the storm, with more deaths reported in nearby states.

Helene hit western North Carolina particularly hard, devastating communities across and along the mountain region in September 2024. Severe flooding and strong winds destroyed homes, businesses, entire roadways and more during Helene.

In stark contrast, the region has been dealing with wildfires exactly six months post-Helene. Emergencies were issued in recent days for counties in parts of Western North Carolina and South Carolina, where evacuation orders were also underway for some.

—> More: 6 months after Hurricane Helene, Western North Carolina hit by wildfires

Gov. Stein said Thursday that the new state of emergency declaration would enable the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to reimburse costs related to response and efforts. Some reimbursements from FEMA had already been promised, Stein said.

Statewide “mutual aid” had also been activated by the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal, the office announced Thursday. Fire departments throughout North Carolina, in addition to several departments from around the U.S., were deploying personnel and equipment to help suppress the fires.

Active wildfires as of Thursday

There were eight wildfires active in North Carolina as of 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, officials shared in a press release.

Below are the fires, their locations, how many acres have burned, and how contained they are as of Thursday — according to the office of state fire marshal:

• Black Cove Fire, Polk County: 3,052 acres burned, 17% contained
• Alarka #5 Fire, Swain County: 750 acres burned, 0% contained
• Rattlesnake Branch Fire, Haywood County: 175 acres burned, 0% contained
• Montieth Branch Fire, Jackson County: 50 acres burned, 0% contained
• Deep Woods Fire, Polk County: 3,231 acres burned, 11% contained
• Crusoe Island Road Fire, Columbus County: 343 acres burned, 75% contained
• Fish Hook Fire, Polk County: 199 acres burned, 86% contained
• Holly Shelter Road Fire, New Hanover County: 340 acres burned, 95% contained

You can find a map of active wildfires on the state’s website here.

Evacuations active due to Black Cove fire

A fire called the Black Cove Complex fire, burning in Polk and Henderson counties in North Carolina, was listed this week as the highest priority fire in the Southern United States by the National Interagency Fire Center.

Three fires make up the complex: Black Cove, Deep Woods, and Fish Hook.

New evacuations were ordered on March 26 to include the following areas in Polk County:

• Coyote Ridge
• 3155-6159 Holbert Cove Road
• Sam’s Gap Lane

The areas already under evacuation for the fires include the following areas in Polk and Henderson counties:

• Big Hungry Road
• Charity Branch Drive
• Deep Woods Lane
• Deer Trail
• English Heifer Cove
• Fox Paw Lane
• Gamelands Trail
• 1091 to 1528 Green River Cove Road
• 5079 – 7265 Holbert Cove Road
• Lady Slipper Trail
• Macedonia Road east of Interstate 26
• Moonshine Trace
• Oakview Lane
• Piney Gate Road
• Piney Overlook Lane
• Scarlets Mountain Road
• Skyland Acres Road
• South Fine Way
• Spurgeon Cove Lane
• Summer Haven Lane
• Volley Way
• Wesley Lane
• Windsong Lane

A Polk County emergency shelter hosted by the American Red Cross is located at the Polk County Senior Center/Meeting Place at 75 Carmel Lane in Columbus.

Pets are not accepted at the shelter, but anyone who needs to board their animals due to evacuations can call Polk County Animal Control at 828-817-7984.

Animal control officers recommended that pet owners grab copies of their pets’ health and vaccination records in the event they have to evacuate.

A Henderson County emergency shelter is active at the Henderson County Parks & Recreation Athletics and Activities Center at 208 South Grove Street in Hendersonville.

—> Severe air quality alerts issued for western North Carolina amid fires

Swain County evacuations

Evacuations were also underway in Swain County, where a wildfire was burning in the Alarka Community, according to the North Carolina Emergency Management department. Those required to evacuate were being notified directly, officials said on March 26.

The fire — which was “moving toward Frye Mountain, Shepard’s Creek, and Conley’s Creek,” officials said Wednesday — was believed to span more than 1,000 acres, and was 0% contained, as of 3:40 p.m.

It was the fourth wildfire reported in North Carolina at the time it was reported. It was not immediately clear if the fire in Rutherford County was considered a wildfire.

How to receive fire updates

The Polk County government and the North Carolina Forest Service are providing regular updates on the fire on their Facebook pages. Full press releases and other local resources for Polk County residents are available through the county fire marshal and emergency management website, found here.

Polk County residents can click here to sign up for the Everbridge emergency notification system used by county officials.

Henderson County residents can find updates through the Henderson County website here. They can sign up for the county’s emergency alert program by clicking here and filling out the required information.

Fire and emergency officials held a meeting on Tuesday, March 25, for Henderson County residents to get updates on the fires. Anyone who didn’t make it to the meeting can watch it here.

—> South Carolina fire allegedly started by teens triples in size, burns through mountains

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