North Carolina
State of emergency declared as wildfires rage out of control in the Carolinas
Smoke billows from Polk County wildfire as evacuations ordered
The massive smoke cloud from the Black Cove Fire in Polk County, North Carolina, was seen wafting skyward.
Hundreds of firefighters converged on a rural North Carolina county Monday to battle at least three blazes that have scorched almost 8 square miles, destroyed at least three homes and multiple other buildings and forced mandatory evacuations.
The fires come as much of western North Carolina remains in recovery mode from horrific flooding driven by Hurricane Helene six months ago.
The two largest fires had burned more than 7 square miles in Polk County and were 0% contained late Sunday, the state Forest Service said. Both have been burning since Wednesday.
In recent weeks, large sections of North Carolina and South Carolina have been designated an “elevated fire risk” by the National Weather Service because of high winds, low humidity and a dearth of rainfall.
“Many areas across the state have seen fires this weekend. A statewide burning ban (is) in place. Do not burn outdoors at all!” the state emergency management agency warned in a social media post. Earlier the agency had urged people to quickly leave evacuation zones, saying visibility in those areas could be reduced, evacuation blocked − and residents “trapped, injured, or killed.”
In South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency to ensure firefighters have the resources needed to combat the Table Rock Fire in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“The statewide burning ban remains in effect as wildfire risks remain high across the state,” McMaster said in a statement. “Anyone who violates this ban can and will go to jail.”
By Sunday evening, the Table Rock Fire − which ignited Friday − grew to more than 1,300 acres with no containment.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission noted that the current estimate of acres burned includes “several hundred acres that were part of a burnout conducted by wildland firefighters to eliminate the fuels between evacuated residential areas and the many active wildfire fronts.”
“The burnout, which remains in progress, is being deemed successful in removing said fuels,” the South Carolina Forestry Commission said.
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