Western NC wildfires live updates Saturday, March 29: See the latest from around the region
The worst wildfires in the country right now are burning in Western North Carolina and the South Carolina Upstate Saturday, March 29, 10 days after some of the fires started.
But fires continue to pop up, as was the case Friday with a 4-acre fire in Garren Creek in Buncombe County that firefighters contained.
Hundreds of firefighters from across the country are battling the wildfires around the clock in WNC and the Upstate. Five hundred firefighting personnel have been battling the blazes in Polk County, where some residents have faced mandatory evacuations, as have residents in other counties such as Transylvania. Some homes have been destroyed. Only one injury has been reported.
The largest fire in the region is the Table Rock Fire in Pickens County, South Carolina, which doubled in size Friday and crossed the state line into Transylvania County in North Carolina. In North Carolina, large wildfires are burning in Polk County, the Deep Woods and Black Cove fires; Swain County, the Alarka Fire; and Haywood County, the Rattlesnake Branch Fire, that has forced the closure of Shining Rock Wilderness in Pisgah National Forest.
Weather conditions Saturday are expected to be less prime for fire spreading, but don't be fooled, the dangers of wildfires is high. Burn bans are still in effect across all of North Carolina and South Carolina, and fire risks persist.
The Asheville Citizen Times will bring you live updates on wildfire conditions throughout Saturday.
You can track the wildfires with our interactive fire map, which is updated hourly, shows where the fires are and has information about their size, origin and more.
For more information on the fires and for a picture of how conditions have been developing, take a look at our live coverage from Friday, March 28, Thursday, March 27, and Wednesday, March 26.
The National Weather Service says that for all of Western North Carolina, there is an increased fire danger from noon Saturday, March 29, through the evening.
The good news is humidity levels will remain higher Saturday across WNC than on the previous three afternoons.
"However, fine wildland fuels such as forest litter and small dead branches remain exceptionally dry," the NWS said in a statement issued at 4:01 a.m. Saturday. "The danger of wildfires remains elevated. Any outdoor fires that are started could spread quickly and be difficult to control."
North Carolina remains under a statewide burn ban.
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality has issued a Code Red air quality alert for Buncombe, Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties until midnight Saturday.
Code Red means prolonged exposure to the air may be unhealthy for anyone. All residents should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors and taking more breaks. Anyone sensitive to air pollution should avoid long or intense outdoor activities.
Also, Code Orange is in place for Haywood, Macon, McDowell, Rutherford and Swain counties.
Code Orange signifies air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Children, older adults and people with asthma or heart conditions should limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors, take more breaks and watch for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Western NC wildfires updates March 29: Where are the fires?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Storms to pose burn-scar flooding threats in New Mexico ahead of weekend heat
Storms are expected pass over New Mexico's burn scars through Tuesday, posing threats of flooding ahead of an anticipated rise to high temperatures during the weekend. The National Weather Service on Monday issued a flood watch for Tuesday morning through the evening in areas within and downstream of the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire burn scar in Northern New Mexico and in the Ruidoso area in the south-central part of the state, which was affected by last year's South Fork and Salt fires. Storms may bring flash flooding in areas scorched by blazes in recent years. The risk is low in other parts of the state, including in urban areas, according to a weekly weather briefing from the National Weather Service's Albuquerque office. drought map Drought levels throughout the state The Ruidoso burn scar area is a primary concern Tuesday, meteorologist Nico Porcelli said. Burn scars present a higher risk of flooding because fires diminish vegetation, and ash and soot cause water to run off soil, making it become hydrophobic, he added. 'Small amounts of rain can cause large amounts of water to really be funneled through the rivers and creeks and cause flooding concerns,' Porcelli said. Tuesday will bring a 52% chance of rain in Santa Fe, but a marginal risk — 5% to 15% — of excessive rain leading to flash flooding. Tuesday's storms follow Monday afternoon's storms along the central mountain chain, Porcelli said. The National Weather Service in Albuquerque issued severe thunderstorm warnings Monday for parts of Santa Fe, Bernalillo, Lincoln, Socorro, Torrance and Union counties. The agency also issued a flash flood warning Monday for the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire burn scar, which already had seen 1 to 1½ inches of rain by around 4 p.m. Monday, according to Porcelli. 'Usually when we get these kind of rainfall amounts, we get some flash flooding, especially over low-water crossings,' he said. Storms may continue in Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday and Thursday, but the risk of strong to severe storms will be lower, as will the risk of burn-scar flooding. However, Thursday marks the beginning of increased temperatures statewide that could bring heat-related risk through the weekend, particularly in Albuquerque and communities in Southern New Mexico. The weekend will see near- and above-average temperatures, with highs Sunday of 99 and 94 degrees in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, respectively, according to the briefing. In Socorro, Sunday's maximum temperature will be 104 — 13 degrees hotter than Socorro's historical average high in June. 'Not much of a heat concern yet, but it's getting up there,' Porcelli said. 'We're getting into that hottest time of the year, which is usually in late June.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
NWS Issues tornado warning for parts of central PA
(WBRE/WYOU) — The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a tornado warning for parts of central Pennsylvania Monday evening. According to the NWS, the following areas are under a tornado warning until 9:00 p.m. Centre County Clinton County At 8:25 p.m., officials say a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was spotted over Bald Eagle State Park moving Northeast at 35 miles per hour. Authorities also warn hail could be as large as a quarter. Weather Alert: Flood watch in effect for majority of NEPA The NWS warns that flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter and that mobile homes, roofs, windows, and trees could be damaged or destroyed. Authorities say to take cover now and to move to a basement or to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building and to avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile vehicle, or vehicle, the NWS says to move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from any flying debris. To stay up to date on the latest weather alerts, use the Eyewitness Interactive Radar. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
What is the Fujiwhara Effect?
Hurricanes are among the most intense weather systems on the planet. When two tropical cyclones get too close for comfort, a delicate dance can happen and lead to some unusual things. Meteorologists call this tropical tango the Fujiwhara Effect. It happens when two tropical cyclones get close enough to each other to create a shared center, forcing the two storms to whip around that common central point. If one of the storms is stronger than the other, the effect usually leads to the weaker one being gobbled up by the more powerful cyclone. If the storms are similar in strength, they can sometimes merge or just slingshot around each other and continue on their way. On rare occasions, the storms can combine into a larger storm, according to the National Weather Service. Bryan Norcross Discusses How Ai Will Become Critical Forecasting Tool This Season This lesson in physics was demonstrated by Super Typhoon Hinnamnor in 2022 in the Pacific Ocean. Hinnamnor devoured a weaker tropical low that was near it. The video below shows how Hinnamnor, indicated by the hurricane symbol, pulled the weaker tropical cyclone, indicated by the L symbol, toward it. Eventually, the hurricane overpowered the weaker storm and absorbed it. Is It A Two-nado? 7 Weather Phenomena That Will Have You Seeing Double According to Noaa, the cyclones need to be between 350 and 860 miles of each other to begin rotating around their common center. That distance is dependent on the size of the article source: What is the Fujiwhara Effect?
