Wildfires have compelled authorities to issue evacuation orders in multiple regions this weekend, adding to the challenges faced by communities still recovering from previous natural disasters. In North Carolina, areas of Polk County, roughly 80 miles west of Charlotte, are under a mandatory evacuation following the outbreak of several wildfires. This region continues to grapple with damage from Hurricane Helene.
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety initiated the evacuation late Saturday, citing potential hazards such as reduced visibility and blocked evacuation routes. The message emphasized the urgency, warning residents that staying could put them in grave danger. To aid those displaced, a shelter was established in Columbus, North Carolina.
As of Sunday afternoon, Polk County was confronting three active fires. The most extensive one had ravaged nearly 2.8 square miles, resulting in the loss of at least one home with no containment reported. Another fire consuming about 1.9 square miles was also in the mix. Meanwhile, a third fire, initially prompting evacuations, had burned through approximately 199 acres with partial containment and had destroyed three homes.
Further evacuation orders were placed Sunday evening to protect residents potentially in the path of shifting fire lines. Other counties in North Carolina, like Burke and Stokes, also reported active fire incidents.
South Carolina has declared a state of emergency as crews battle the Table Rock Fire in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Governor Henry McMaster’s declaration aims to streamline resource mobilization and support the firefighting efforts, already backed by a statewide outdoor burning ban. Voluntary evacuations were issued for residents near Table Rock Mountain due to the blaze that expanded to over 300 acres with no containment. Challenging terrain and downed trees from Hurricane Helene made firefighting efforts strenuous. Approximately 100 homes remained under voluntary evacuation orders.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, firefighters engaged a wildfire in the Wharton State Forest. Initiating on Saturday, the blaze swept across 2.7 square miles and achieved 50% containment by early Sunday. Although two campgrounds in the park were evacuated, no buildings were directly threatened as the fire advanced away from them. Authorities continue to investigate the fire’s origins without further escalation in damage or evacuations.
These outbreaks emphasize the breadth of challenges facing emergency services across multiple states, in conjunction with the ongoing recovery efforts from previous storms adding to the complexity of each response.
