First Flood, Now Fire: 200-Acre Forest Fire In McDowell County, Western NC 6:00 PM 1/29/2025; Evacuations Ordered
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.
McDowell County emergency officials said the fire, which had grown to 200 acres by around 6 p.m., remained almost entirely uncontained. The blaze prompted evacuation orders for residents in an area just south of Old Fort, which is east of Asheville and amid a cluster of communities only beginning to recover from the devastation caused by Helene in September.
“High winds continue to create dangerous fire conditions,” McDowell County Emergency Management wrote in a release. “Firefighters continue to focus on structure protection for multiple homes in the area and continue work on establishing fire containment lines.”
Just after noon Wednesday, local officials first detailed reports of a fire along Bat Cave Road in Old Fort “caused by a tree falling on a power line.” The agency said no injuries had been reported so far, “though multiple outbuildings have been destroyed by the blaze. All emergency agencies within McDowell County, along with support from neighboring counties, and state and federal partners, are actively working to combat the fire and protect life and property.”
EDIT
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2025/01/29/western-north-carolina-wildfires/
= new reply since forum marked as read
