Western NC wildfires live updates Sunday, March 30: 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 Sunday, March 30, 11 days after some of the fires started.
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.
Firefighters continue to hope for significant rainfall to tamp down on the spreading fires. Sunday weather forecasts some rain for the areas impacted by the wildfires, but whether it will be enough to make a dent remains to be seen.
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 Saturday, March 29, Friday, March 28, Thursday, March 27, and Wednesday, March 26.
Two of the three fires threatening Transylvania County have grown, according to a Sunday morning update from officials.
The Rattlesnake Branch Fire in Haywood County grew to an estimated 1,882 acres while the Persimmon Ridge Fire in South Carolina grew by less than 100 acres to 2,078.
The largest of the three fires and the only one to have crossed into Transylvania County from South Carolina, the Table Rock Fire, decreased from about 12,000 acres to 11,468, according to a statement from county officials.
'Yesterday was a very productive day for firefighters working to contain the Table Rock Complex Fire in North Carolina,' the statement said. 'Burnout operations and fire lines seems to have been very successful in slowing and stopping the fire in critical areas.'
Rain might be on firefighters' side.
'We are receiving small amounts of rain which is helping. However, residents need to remember that the burn band will remain in place,' the statement said. 'The amount of rain does not remove the danger burning can pose to our community.'
Over 750 homes remain under a mandatory evacuation, but so far no homes have been damaged by the fires. Officials will reassess the evacuations orders Sunday and some homes may be removed from the order, the county said.
A curfew will be in place from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday for the evacuation area, county officials said. Transylvania County Sheriff's Office deputies will patrol the evacuation area.
Road closures include:• Blue Ridge Parkway from Route 215 to Asheville.• Route 276 closed from Cascade Lake Road to Highway 11.• East Fork Road is closed from the East Fork entrance of Connestee Falls to Glady Fork Road.
Swain County's Alarka Fire swelled to 1,390 acres Saturday, but is now 18% contained, according to an update from officials.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
So far, one home and a camper were destroyed in the fire.
Officials lifted all evacuation orders in the Alarka community. Those areas included:• Long Creek Lane• Unahala Creek• Alarka Highlands
Rain remains a strong hope for the 164 people working the fire.
'Dry, windy conditions and rough, rocky terrain will make fire suppression efforts difficult until significant rain is received,' the Swain County Emergency Management said in a statement.
The Fish Hook Fire is now 100% contained, according to a Saturday evening update from the North Carolina Forest Service.
The fire, which was first reported March 20, burned 199 acres approximately 5 miles northwest of Mill Spring on private land near Lake Adger.
Meanwhile, containment is increasing on the other Black Cove Complex fires.
As of 7 p.m. Saturday, there were 493 personnel assigned to the Black Cove Complex with more resources set to arrive. Crews from across North Carolina and 14 other states are part of the effort.
Black Cove Fire: The Black Cove Fire is 3,500 acres in size and 35% contained.
Stay up to date with the location and size of fires with our North Carolina wildfire and smoke map. The map is interactive, is updated hourly and provides detailed information on each fire.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Western NC wildfires updates March 30: Where are the fires?
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