Wildfires prompt evacuations in North and South Carolina

Authorities in North Carolina’s Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania counties on Tuesday issued evacuation orders for some residents as wildfires continued to burn. Multiple large fires in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina were not contained Wednesday as dry, windy weather persisted throughout the region. Trees brought down by Hurricane Helene last year are fueling the fires and make it more difficult for crews to battle the blazes, according to the North Carolina Forest Service. Hundreds of firefighters from Michigan, Montana, Wyoming, Tennessee, Oregon, South Dakota, and California traveled to support local crews. One firefighter was injured while battling the blaze in North Carolina, according to reports by local media. The fires have also destroyed homes and other buildings.

What about the Table Rock fire? Officials on Friday reported a wildfire at South Carolina’s Table Rock State Park that prompted evacuations and the park’s closure. By Wednesday the fire had burned more than 2,200 acres and a separate fire nearby had burned nearly 1,000 acres.

How have officials responded? The South Carolina Forestry Commission on Friday issued a statewide burn ban and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster on Saturday declared a state of emergency for the Table Rock Fire. Meanwhile, North Carolina officials on Thursday instituted a statewide burn ban but Gov. Josh Stein had not declared a state of emergency as of Wednesday afternoon.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report about a brush fire in Florida that burned more than 26,000 acres.