Crews have started to make progress on the Black Cove Complex, which includes the biggest wildfires in Polk County, in the mountains southeast of Asheville. The fire is now listed as the "highest priority fire" in the United States, which gives crews there higher priority to get more resources and people to help fight the blaze.
"Weather conditions continue to fuel rapid fire progression with lower humidities and higher winds," the North Carolina Forest Service said Thursday.
Mandatory evacuation orders remain in place in Polk County as firefighters continue to battle a series of wildfires in western North Carolina. There are 476 first responders from North Carolina and across the country working to contain the Black Cove Complex fires.
The fires in Polk County have already burned through more than 6,400 acres and left one firefighter hurt.
Haywood County, farther west, will be under a state of emergency as of 8 p.m. Thursday because of a wildfire near Cruso.
"The Rattlesnake Branch Fire in Cruso grew to between 400 and 500 acres," according to the National Forest Service, writing on social media Thursday morning. "The fire is still burning westward into the Shining Rock Wilderness Area."
A fire in Swain County, in the western tip of North Carolina near the Tennessee border, is forcing evacuations in the Alarka Highlands community. That fire has burned more than 900 acres and is 0% contained as of Thursday afternoon, according to the North Carolina Forest Service.
This week's dry weather led to several new fires in western North Carolina and prompted Gov. Josh Stein to declare a state of emergency in 34 western counties. At least nine fires were active in that part of the state, officials said.
“Our State Emergency Response Team is responding with every tool at its disposal. Please stay safe and stay alert for any evacuation orders if the fires spread to an area near you,” Stein said in a statement.
Firefighters were using planes and helicopters to battle the blazes, but faced challenges from dry weather, rough terrain and debris left by flooding caused by Helene almost six months ago, the North Carolina Forest Service said.
The Black Cove Fire, which was burning on over 3,000 acres in Polk and Henderson counties Wednesday, was considered the highest priority fire in the United States, the Forest Service said Wednesday evening.
Polk County Emergency Management issued a warning for an immediate evacuation Wednesday afternoon for 3155-6159 Holbert Cove Road, Coyote Ridge and Sam's Gap Lane.
Officials said visibility will be reduced and roads and evacuation routes could become blocked. "If you do not leave now, you could be trapped or injured. If you are unable to evacuate, call 911," officials said in a release.
Fires were reported in other western North Carolina counties on Wednesday: a 1,000-acre fire prompted evacuation orders in Swain County, a 20-acre blaze was reported in Jackson County, a 50-acre fire was active in Buncombe County and a 75-acre fire was burning in Haywood County, according to the forest service's fire-tracking website.
A new fire on Wednesday forced evacuations in Rutherfordton, about 20 miles east of the other fires, before it was brought under control. Five acres were burned.
The mountains of Polk and Henderson counties were under a Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service for severe fire risk.
Smoke from the wildfires caused the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to forecast Code Purple air quality for Transylvania County; Code Red for Henderson, Swain and Polk counties; and Code Orange for for Rutherford County. Code Purple is deemed very unhealthy air quality, Code Red indicates prolonged exposure is unhealthy, and Code Orange is considered unhealthy for vulnerable groups.
Henderson County on Wednesday was under a state of emergency. "This state of emergency ensures that Henderson County has the necessary resources in place to respond to the potential impacts from the wildfires that originated from Polk County," officials said.
The Forest Service said Wednesday that over 475 personnel from across North Carolina and other states have responded to Black Cove Complex Fire.
The N.C. Emergency Management division is assisting in Polk County with communications, personnel and the N.C. Helo-Aquatic Rescue Team, which includes a Black Hawk helicopter that can perform rescues if firefighters need to be evacuated.
During a meeting Tuesday evening, that team was deployed, according to a post on X by Emergency Management, to rescue a firefighter who was trapped under a fallen tree. The N.C. Forest Service said Wednesday the firefighter was airlifted to a hospital in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and is in stable condition.
Emergency officials have expanded mandatory evacuation zones around the fires and have warned other residents in the area to be ready to evacuate. People near the fires can check a new interactive map, also found below, to see what zone they are in.
About 250 homes have been evacuated in Polk County, where the fires are centered. About two dozen homes and outbuildings have been destroyed in Polk County, spokesperson Kellie Cannon said.
Firefighters have managed to save most of the structures near the fires.
Residents along Lady Slipper Trail, Green River Cove Road, Big Hungry Road, Spurgeon Cove Lane, English Heifer Cove Road, Deer Trail and Scarlets Mountain Road are under mandatory evacuation, according to officials with N.C. Forest Service.
A shelter is open for impacted residents at 75 Carmel Lane in Columbus.
Monday's rain gave little help to the firefighting efforts as gusty winds and low relative humidity caused the moisture to evaporate quickly.
The Forest Service said Wednesday that a Red Flag Warning has been issued for the mountains of Polk and Henderson counties. This means "the potential for severe fire behavior and the possibility of rapid fire spread," its website stated.
The Fish Hook Fire, near Lake Adger, on Green River Cove Road started due to a downed power line and had burned more than 199 acres as of Tuesday morning, according to the N.C. Forest Service. The fire was 86% contained as of Wednesday evening.
The Deep Woods Fire on Piney Mountain Road had burned more than 3,200 acres as of Wednesday evening, with 11% containment, according to the Forest Service.
The Black Cove Fire, which started off Green River Cove Road, was at more than 3,000 acres with 17% containment as of Wednesday evening, according to the Forest Service. The fire had spread west across the Green River and into Henderson County.
"You should take your family, pets and necessary items, including medications and important papers and evacuate now if you are in a Level III area," emergency management officials said as they warned of evacuations on social media.
"Check in with your local Red Cross shelter (even if you don’t intend to stay there). Check in with them and let them know where you will be in case your family is looking for you," officials said.
“To prevent the fire from spreading into neighborhoods and inhabited areas to the west of the fire, firefighting personnel are constructing control lines on both sides of the river,” Forest Service officials said Sunday evening.
The Forest Service said a temporary flight restriction is also in place daily from the surface up to 5,500 feet to ensure firefighting aircraft can conduct operations without obstruction from drones and other low-flying aircraft.
