State of emergency declared as wildfires rage out of control in the Carolinas

[littlemissmartypants]

State of emergency declared as
wildfires rage out of control in the
Carolinas

John Bacon and Jorge L. Ortiz
USA TODAY
Published 7:27 a.m. ET March 24, 2025
Updated 11:29 p.m. ET

Parts of western North Carolina, still reeling from devastating floods driven by Hurricane Helene in September, are now under siege from wildfires.

Firefighters converged on rural Polk County to battle at least three blazes that have scorched over 5,700 acres, destroyed at least three homes and multiple other buildings, and forced mandatory evacuations. The fire response effort has been hindered by regional impacts from Helene, as debris remains in forests and some roads.

"I’m concerned about the wildfires in Polk County, where people are already struggling due to Mother Nature," Gov. Josh Stein said in a social media post. Stein urged residents to monitor emergency alerts and follow evacuation orders "if you need to leave your homes."

The two largest blazes in what's known as the Black Cove Complex fires have burned more than 5,500 acres in Polk County and were 0% contained late Monday, the state Forest Service said. Both have been burning since Wednesday and gained ground Monday despite the efforts of 263 firefighters from North Carolina and eight other states.
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/24/wildfires-carolinas-containment-updates/82632579007/

❤️pants
RESIST!!