Wildfires Prompt Evacuations in North and South Carolina Amid Ongoing Recovery

POLK COUNTY, N.C. — Wildfires forced a mandatory evacuation on Sunday in Polk County, North Carolina, which is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene last year. Simultaneously, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declared an emergency in response to rapidly spreading wildfires in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety issued the evacuation order at 8:20 p.m. on Saturday for parts of Polk County, located approximately 80 miles west of Charlotte. Officials warned residents about the dangers of staying behind, stating, “Visibility in the area will be reduced and roads/evacuation routes can become blocked; if you do not leave now, you could be trapped, injured, or killed.” A shelter has been set up in Columbus, North Carolina, for displaced residents.

Currently, there are three active wildfires in Polk County. One fire has grown to approximately 1.9 square miles (5 square kilometers), while a second has extended to 2.8 square miles (7.3 square kilometers), both of which remained uncontained as of Sunday afternoon. Kellie Cannon, a spokesperson for Polk County, confirmed that one home has been lost to the larger fire. A third fire has burned about 199 acres (81 hectares) and is reportedly 50% contained, with three homes destroyed. Previous evacuation orders connected to this blaze have since been lifted, she noted.

According to the North Carolina Forest Service, active fires were also reported in adjoining Burke and Stokes counties. Further complicating the containment efforts are hazardous conditions stemming from Hurricane Helene, which has left behind significant storm debris in the region.

In South Carolina, the Table Rock Fire in Pickens County has grown to around 1,300 acres, prompting Governor McMaster to declare a state of emergency. “The State of Emergency allows us to mobilize resources quickly and ensure our firefighters have the support they need,” McMaster said in a statement, which emphasized a statewide outdoor burning ban issued by the South Carolina Forestry Commission on the previous Friday.

Local fire officials initiated voluntary evacuations for residents near Table Rock Mountain on Saturday. Despite inclement weather conditions and steep terrain hindering firefighting efforts, no injuries have yet been reported, although about 100 residences are currently under voluntary evacuation.

The cause of the Table Rock Fire has been attributed to human activity, with reports indicating that it was sparked by a group of teenage hikers. On Sunday morning, the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office disclosed that firefighting operations would resume with support from ground personnel and aerial firefighting resources.

As recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene— which impacted 5,000 miles of state-maintained roads and damaged countless private infrastructures in North Carolina— continue, officials are stressing the importance of heeding evacuation messages as wildfires rage in the region.