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Firefighters scrambled Wednesday afternoon to contain a wildfire that forced evacuations in a part of western North Carolina that was ravaged by Helene in the fall.

A wildfire ignited in part of North Carolina that’s still recovering from Hurricane Helene, burning across forestland right near the local fire department on Jan. 29.

Firefighters in western North Carolina continue to battle several wildfires that sparked Wednesday in areas ravaged by Hurricane Helene in September still struggling to recover.

The North Fork Fire fire is burning in rugged terrain above the North Fork of the Catawba River in the Graveyard Mountain area and is estimated at 200 acres, 20% contained as of Friday morning, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Smoke from the fire is affecting residents in McDowell County, according to the U.S. Forest Service which added that as a result of hurricane damage to trees, the amount of downed fuels in the forest that are burning are contributing to more smoke than past wildfires in the area.

"Prior to Hurricane Helene, most fuels were small twigs and leaves. Now, some large fuels, such as big, downed trees, are burning for longer, meaning extended smoke impacts. Additional fires in the county are also contributing to regional smoke. Cloudy conditions are not allowing smoke to disperse, meaning higher levels are staying in our communities," spokesperson Lisa Jennings said in a statement on Facebook.

The Crooked Creek Fire, which also ignited Wednesday just east of Helene-ravaged Asheville, is 100% contained after burning nearly 220 acres, according to McDowell County Emergency Management. The North Carolina Forest Service has confirmed that the fire was caused by a fallen power line.

There have been no injuries or fatalities reported. However, one home sustained damage, and multiple outbuildings were destroyed.

“High winds continue to create dangerous fire conditions,” McDowell County Emergency Management wrote in a news release. Despite the incredible amount of rainfall that Hurricane Helene dumped on the region and the resulting catastrophic flooding, officials have warned about elevated risks of wildfire.

The NC Forest Service said that rapidly drying conditions, debris from millions of trees Helene knocked down and wind have created conditions right for fires to readily ignite and easily escape.

"Hurricane response efforts by U.S. Forest Service crews cleared tree fall from the roads; however, large areas of downed trees within the fire area and near the firelines are leading to increased fire behavior," Lisa Jennings explained.

Drought conditions persist in parts of North Carolina, particularly in the eastern half where Helene caused incredible destruction and the region where the wildfires broke out, making it more difficult to fight any wildfires that break out as well as make it easier for them to reignite.

A fire risk map maintained by North Carolina’s State Climate Office showed the area where the fire erupted was at “extreme” risk of wildfire with much of the state at a "high" risk.

The region’s fire seasons occur in spring and fall, but fires in January are not unusual, Kathie Dello, the North Carolina state climatologist told the Washington Post. "The conditions were ripe for fire,” Dello said.

State officials are urging people in the region to take precautions against wildfires before wildfire season begins in a few weeks.

“Even though we’re still a few weeks from the official start of spring wildfire season, now is the time for homeowners to be thinking about simple steps they can take to reduce risk in the home ignition zone by creating a defensible space,” state Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a statement.

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ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A damaged section of Swannanoa River Road is back open to the public for the first time since Helene hit over four months ago.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) said that the barricades have been removed, and traffic is flowing again between Tunnel Road and Fairview Road in East Asheville.

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The NCDOT said that crews essentially built a new road in less than 120 days after Helene ravaged the area.

"After the storm, you could see where a road should be, but wasn't. Now crews have restored the roadway to previous conditions, making it safe for travel once again," Resident Engineer Tom Veazey said.

Crews started the operation by removing trees and concluded earlier this week by installing temporary power to new traffic signals.

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During that time, crews removed debris, including trees, mud, broken asphalt, and old construction materials.

The NCDOT said that the roadbed was restored using large rock, which allowed for underground utilities to be rebuilt. After that, the stone base was graded and capped with new asphalt. Final operations included a new guardrail, new pavement markings and traffic signals.

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We spoke with the WNC Nature Center, a business off of this portion of Swannanoa River Road.

Chris Gentile, Director of the Nature Center said that this portion of the road being back open is a big morale boost.

“One of the first things we noticed when we came here after Helene was the devastation of Swannanoa River Road and we kind of used that to send as a picture to our colleagues to say look what happened,” he said.

Now that this part of the road is back open Gentile said it has felt like a giant step forward.

"Now we can look out from our bear boardwalk and see a complete road with traffic on it versus before where we saw just devastation,” he said.

On an even bigger scale, Gentile said that once their Azalea Road project is finished it will be easier for guests to get in and out to the Gashes Creek community and will be easier to circle back to Swannanoa River Road.

Gentile said the goal is for that project to be finished in the next month and then they can move towards being able to reopen the nature center.

However, recovery efforts in this area are not over. NCDOT officials said restoration operations like debris removal and utility restoration will continue. Drivers should anticipate periodic lane closures to accommodate recovery operations in the coming weeks.

Other sections of Swannanoa River Road, west of this stretch, will remain closed for ongoing restoration. Several local, state and federal agencies are removing debris, rebuilding utilities and restoring the area.

Officials ordered evacuations as a major brush fire broke out on Wednesday in a rural area in McDowell County, N.C., that has now burned about 250 acres.

The Crooked Creek fire is threatening the nearby town of Old Fort, N.C., a small Western North Carolina community about 25 miles from Asheville. High winds and dry conditions are pushing the fire farther. As of Wednesday afternoon, the fire was 15 percent contained, according to McDowell County’s emergency services on Wednesday evening.

The wildfire strikes an inland region of North Carolina that is still recovering from the damage wrought by Hurricane Helene in September. Huge plumes of smoke are visible as they rise from Crooked Creek between the hills. WFMY News 2, a regional broadcaster, reported that the smoke had grown so large it was visible on radar.

“Firefighters continue to focus on structure protection for multiple homes in the area and continue work on establishing fire-containment lines,” the county said in an emergency alert. “Emergency services are urging residents in the affected areas to adhere to evacuation orders to ensure their safety.”

The county said that the fire was caused by a tree falling onto a power line. Some Old Fort residents have reported power outages and limited cell service. Several outbuildings have been destroyed by the flames, but no injuries have been reported. First Baptist Church in Old Fort is serving as a shelter for displaced residents.

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Deborah Jarrell, a 67-year-old who runs a campground in Old Fort, said that her house is near the evacuation zone. In 1986, her house in the area was razed by a wildfire.

“I’m in a log home, I’m on top of a mountain, and I don’t have any water,” Ms. Jarrell said. “I’ve unloaded my safe, my guns, my equipment. I don’t know what else I can do but pray.”

Her daughter Loraine Jarrell, 39, rushed to check on her sister who lives on a different mountain when she heard in the afternoon about a raging fire.

“Her whole yard is filled with smoke,” she said.

Before the fire broke out, the North Carolina Forest Service said on social media that the risk of fire was high on Wednesday.

“With low relative humidity, wind gusts and dry fuels, fire danger is expected to be high across the Piedmont, Foothills and Mountains,” the agency said, adding that conditions are expected to improve in the evening.

High winds expanding the fire’s reach are expected to taper off tonight but there is potential for more gusts on Friday. The Forest Service recommended that residents refrain from outdoor burning, such as campfires and fires for cooking. The Appalachian area is host to several hiking trails.

Amy Davis, who helped lead Old Fort’s recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene, said the wildfire has complicated storm relief efforts.

“We’re still in the middle of many distribution projects,” Ms. Davis, a 49-year-old country store owner, said. “We kind of have been forgotten after Helene.”

Ms. Davis has fuel tanks on her farm endangered by the fire that she was distributing to residents in need after Helene. But, she said, she had to move them into town or the fire would have put them at risk.

Two more wildfires broke out in Marion, the county seat. There is no evacuation order for the city, but officials have instructed residents to stay away.

North Carolina

Residents in a rural Western North Carolina community were told to evacuate their homes as fire crews battled an “an out of control” wildfire in McDowell County on Wednesday.

The fire started after a tree fell on a power line near 4131 Bat Cave Road in Old Fort, according to a county government news release at 12:15 p.m. High winds caused the fire to spread around the Crooked Creek community, and roads were closed.

“McDowell County residents, stay safe and follow local guidance regarding evacuation,” Gov. Josh Stein posted on the social media site X.

The fire had grown to 150 acres and there was no containment of it as of 4:30 p.m., authorities said. The North Carolina Forest Service tracks the acreage of a wildfire on its website.

Authorities said people living near the following roads, including private drives and side roads, should evacuate:

Those living in the 1000 block of Lavender Road and all of Cozy Drive were also ordered to evacuate due to the fire crossing over the roadway, “creating rapidly worsening conditions,” a press release said.

Emergency personnel from McDowell County and other counties, the state, and federal government are currently battling the fire, a press release said.

No injuries have been reported, but multiple outbuildings were destroyed, the county said.

An emergency shelter was set up at First Baptist Church in Old Fort, at 203 E. Main Street.

Old Fort, an area of about 800 people where Mill Creek runs through its center, is still recovering from extensive storm damage caused by Hurricane Helene.

Amy Dowdle, the public information officer at McDowell County Schools, said students needed to be picked up from school on Wednesday.

“Buses will not travel down roads that are impacted by Wildfires including roads with limited visibility,” Dowdle said in a message posted to the county’s Facebook page.

Crews were also trying to contain wildfire at 80 Watson Place on U.S. 221 North in Marion, the county said. No evacuation orders were ordered for that area, the county said a little after 3:30 p.m., but the public was advised to stay away so firefighters could work.

The county also said residents should stop any outdoor burning due to high winds and dry conditions.

Updates are being published on the county’s social media pages, including X and Facebook. Residents can sign up for updates by texting 28752 to 888777.

County officials said Wednesday evening that there were three fires burning. The third was reported at 4 p.m. near Good Road in the Woodlawn area of Marion.

Firefighters would remain there overnight to monitor homes and “and provide structure protection as needed,” according to an update from McDowell County Emergency Management.

Because 13 million acres of North Carolina are classified as “wildland urban interface,” a significant portion of the state is at increased risk of wildfires, according to the N.C. Forest Service.

Wildland urban interface is an when “structures and other human development blend with undeveloped wildland, forest or vegetation,” the N.C. Forest Service said in a press release.

Because of that risk, the state agency said, property owners should take precautions to protect their homes from the risk of wildfires, including:

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 3:34 PM.

The Charlotte Observer

Jeff A. Chamer is a breaking news reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He’s lived a few places, but mainly in Michigan where he grew up. Before joining the Observer, Jeff covered K-12 and higher education at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in Massachusetts.

Saturday, Feb. 1 will mark the start of Black History Month 2025 — an annual observance that has roots dating back to 1915. Throughout the month, Asheville will host events where locals can learn and remember the stories and achievements of Black Americans in WNC. There’s no one way to observe, so be on the lookout for events centered on art, food, speeches, and literature.

The Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center is asking local artists to enter paintings, drawings, or sculptures depicting what Black history means to them to be displayed in its “Black History Month Through the Eyes of Art” exhibit. Submissions are open Wednesday Feb. 5 through Tuesday, Feb. 11. The exhibit will have an opening ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 12 and all art pieces will be on display at the center through Friday, Feb. 28.

Locals can walk the Black Cultural‍ Heritage Trail that debuted in late 2023. It spans across Asheville’s Downtown, Southside, and River Area neighborhoods with 20 informative panels that preserve important people, moments, and stories in local Black history.

Kick off Black History Month at Black Storytelling on the Block on Friday, Feb. 7, 5-8 p.m. The First Friday event will explore the Black experience through art, music, spoken word, and theater.

The Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center will host its Black history celebration on Saturday, Feb. 8, 1-4 p.m. Community Association members, friends, and neighbors will showcase the deep roots of the Shiloh Community by honoring those who led the way, sharing stories, and reflecting with one another.

The Burton Street Community Center will lead the Burton Street Black History Discussion on Friday, Feb. 21, starting at 6 p.m. Learn about the Burton Street Community’s story, its role in local Black history, and its founder, activist, civic leader, and businessman, Edward W. Pearson.

Older adults are invited to dress up as a famous Black history maker and share their stories at the Grove Street Community Center’s Black History Alive! event on Friday, Feb. 28, starting at 11 a.m.

The Harvest House Community Center mixes education and fun at its Black History Celebration with quizzes, games, refreshments, and community on Thursday, Feb. 20, starting at 1:30 p.m.

Black Wall Street AVL will honor remarkable Ashevillians for their leadership, excellence, and resilience at the Black History Awards 2025. Seven awards will be handed out at the Asheville Community Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 22, starting at 5:30 p.m.

Learn through Black stories and partake in local book clubs. The Enka History Book Club will talk about “Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America” by Michael Harriot on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at the Enka-Candler Library. The East Asheville Library’s Black Experience Book Club will discuss “The Fifth Season” by N.K. Jemisin on Thursday, Feb. 27.

Dig into a serving of history with the Stephens-Lee Community Center’s Soul Food Supper on Thursday, Feb. 20, 6-8 p.m. The event will celebrate soul food dishes and attendees can learn how these foods became central to Black communities — while eating, of course.