CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A total of 10 wildfires were burning in North Carolina at the same time, according to the state’s forest service.
Officials reported on Thursday, March 27 that eight wildfires were active across six North Carolina counties. A few more wildfires appeared to be active as of Friday morning, according to the North Carolina Forest Service’s wildfire map.
Three of those fires -- which include the two largest wildfires in the state -- were burning in Polk County, located in western North Carolina. Wildfires were also burning in South Carolina this week.
Evacuation orders were still in place for some communities due to the fires. Smoke from the fires was affecting air quality throughout the region.
Here’s a look at where the fires are burning, where evacuation orders were issued, and more.
Active North Carolina wildfires
There were eight wildfires active in North Carolina as of 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, officials shared in a press release. That number seemed to change slightly by Friday morning.
Below are the fires that were active as of Thursday, according to the office of state fire marshal, and that remained active on Friday:
- 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
The acreage and containment numbers above were provided Thursday afternoon and may have changed.
As of early Friday, March 28, there appeared to be a few more fires that were active in North Carolina. Those wildfires include:
- Wildfire in Buncombe County: 130 acres burned, 90% contained
- Wildfire in Caldwell County: 14.5 acres burned, 95% contained
- Wildfire in Onslow County: 5 acres burned, 35% containment
It appeared that the Holly Shelter Road Fire in New Hanover County was no longer active as of Friday, according to the state’s map. That fire was 95% contained, as of Thursday afternoon.
You can find a map of active wildfires on the state’s website here.
No deaths reported from fires yet
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 several 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.
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.
---> Related: 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.
---> Related: South Carolina fire allegedly started by teens triples in size, burns through mountains
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