Latest news with #BlackCoveComplexFire
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Massive South Carolina wildfire jumps border, spreads into North Carolina
A massive wildfire burning for more than a week in South Carolina jumped the border Saturday and was spreading Sunday into North Carolina, where firefighters were already battling multiple blazes, officials said. The Table Rock Fire, which started on March 21 in the Table Rock State Park in Pickens County, South Carolina, had burned 11,468 acres total as of Sunday morning in both South Carolina and North Carolina, charring more than 500 acres overnight, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. The Table Rock Fire is now the highest-priority fire in the United States as fire crews responded from multiple states to help battle the blaze, which prompted the evacuations of more than 1,400 homes and businesses on Thursday. As the fire spread across the border into North Carolina, the South Carolina Forestry Commission said firefighters had upped containment of the fire from 0% on Saturday to 9% by Sunday morning. Derrick Moore, operations section chief with the South Carolina Forestry Commission's Southern Area Blue Team, said fire crews are hoping that rain forecast for the area later Sunday and into Monday will help firefighters extinguish the flames. Pickens County Sheriff Tommy Blankenship said last week that investigators suspect the Table Rock Fire was started by four teenagers. He alleged that the negligent behavior of the teens caused the fire but declined to elaborate. 'They will be held accountable for their actions. I can promise you that," Blankenship said in a video posted to social media. Another fire, the Rattlesnake Branch Fire, spread Saturday from South Carolina's Pickens County into western North Carolina's Transylvania County, according to an update Sunday from Transylvania County officials. The Rattlesnake Branch Fire in North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest in Haywood County was burning close to the Transylvania County line but had not breached it, according to Transylvania County officials. The fire had burned nearly 1,900 acres and was 20% contained, according to the Sunday update. MORE: Video Thousands of acres scorched in Carolinas wildfires A third fire threatening to spread into Transylvania County is the Persimmon Ridge fire, which is burning in South Carolina near the Table Rock Fire and had grown to more than 2,000 acres as of Sunday afternoon. That fire also was threatening to jump the border into North Carolina, Transylvania County officials said. Meanwhile, in Polk County, North Carolina, three wildfires continue to burn but authorities said firefighters who have been battling the blazes for days had made significant progress. The Black Cove Complex Fire – comprised of three wildland blazes: the Black Cove Fire, the Deep Woods Fire and the Fish Hook Fire – had reached a combined 7,670 acres as of Sunday, according to Polk County officials. MORE: 3 major wildfires prompt evacuations in North Carolina's Polk County The Black Cove fire, which was started March 19 by a downed powerline, was 35% contained after burning 3,501 acres, officials said. The Deep Woods fire, which also started on March 19, has burned 3,970 acres, authorities said Sunday. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Fish Hook Fire, which started March 20 by a downed powerline, was 100% contained on Sunday after burning 199 acres, according to officials. Massive South Carolina wildfire jumps border, spreads into North Carolina originally appeared on
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Evacuations continue Saturday from rapidly spreading NC and SC mountain wildfires
Mandatory evacuations continued in the Carolinas on Saturday from rapidly spreading mountain wildfires that firefighters from across the United States have battled for days, emergency officials said. Three fires that merged to form the Black Cove Complex Fire have burned nearly 7,000 acres in Western North Carolina's Polk and Henderson counties, N.C. Forest Service rangers said Friday night. The fires engulfed 22 structures, forced evacuations on 18 roads and required an injured firefighter to be airlifted to a hospital. AmeriCorps NCCC, which sent a team of firefighters, called the Black Cove Complex Fire on Friday the 'highest priority fire in the U.S.' About 450 firefighters from across the state and nation were on the scene Friday night, according to the N.C. Forest Service. Concord Fire deployed a team that has worked all three of the Black Cove Complex fires. And FEMA on Friday authorized federal money to reimburse costs to North Carolina to fight the massive Table Rock fire in Transylvania County. The fire spread northeast from Pickens County, S.C., and has consumed 10,904 acres, according to an update Saturday by the S.C. Forestry Commission. Another S.C. mountain wildfire, the Persimmon Ridge Fire, has consumed 2,000 acres in Greenville and Pickens counties, officials said. One of the fires that formed the Black Cove Complex Fire has burned 3,410 acres and was 23% contained, Forest Service officials said in a noon update Saturday. The fire, named the Black Cove Fire, was about two miles northeast of Saluda, in the Green River Gorge. Gastonia firefighters were among those who worked through the night late Friday and early Saturday to protect homes near Saluda from the fire. 'Fire behavior has continued to be intense, with rapid fire spread and areas of extreme burning conditions due to shifting winds and dry weather during the day,' according to a news release from the Forest Service on Friday night. Overnight, the fire 'calmed down due to increasing humidity and cloud cover,' fire officials said Saturday. 'Crews patrolled and monitored fire lines throughout the night.' A downed power line caused the fire, which was first reported on Wednesday, officials said. The second fire, known as the Deep Woods Fire, spread to 3,797 acres and was 32% contained by Friday night. The fire was about five miles northwest of Columbus, on state-owned and private land in the Green River Gorge and the neighboring Holbert Cove community, according to the N.C. Forest Service. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The fire also was first reported on Wednesday. The third fire, called the Fish Hook Fire, covered 199 acres and was 95% contained, officials said. The fire was about five miles northwest of Mill Spring on private land near Lake Adger. A downed power line also caused that fire, which was reported on Thursday, officials said. A 1,300-acre fire in the Alarka community near Bryson City was only 10% contained, Swain County Emergency Management officials said on social media at 8:30 p.m. Friday. The cause of the fire that started Tuesday remains under investigation, officials said. Evacuations were ordered for Long Creek Lane, Unahala Creek and Alarka Highlands. Temperatures and wind increased in Swain County early Saturday ahead of possible rain, officials said. Gusts up to 21 mph were expected and highs near 70 degrees. The chance of showers stood at 40% this weekend. 'Dry windy conditions and rough, rocky terrain will make fire suppression efforts difficult until significant rain is received,' Swain County emergency officials said. North Carolina is under a statewide burn ban. A state of emergency was declared Wednesday for 34 Western North Carolina counties. To check wildfire activity across the state, use the North Carolina Forest Service wildfire public viewer at
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Fires rage, spread across Carolinas as central US braces for severe weekend weather
As wildfires continued to spread across the Carolinas on Friday, storms dropped heavy rain over parts of Texas and Louisiana as forecasters warned of a weekend outbreak of severe weather. Red flag warnings and wind advisories were active Friday throughout the central and eastern U.S., including in North and South Carolina, where a breakout of wildfires has triggered evacuations and destroyed homes. Flood advisories stretched from South Texas and Louisiana as a potent storm dropped 5 to 12 inches of rain. Through the weekend, forecasters say over 100 million people are at risk of severe weather, from torrential rain and possible tornadoes in the Plains region to hail and high winds in the Mississippi Valley, according to AccuWeather. More: Monster storm heading east this weekend to spew tornadoes, hail and snow On Saturday, strong storms will impact a zone from Texas to Nebraska, Arkansas and Iowa. The next day, the volatile weather will broaden, bringing a threat of hail, flash floods and possible tornadoes to a large swath of the country, from Michigan to the Gulf Coast. As the storms move eastward, they could snarl traffic and disrupt flights Monday in several major cities, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. In North Carolina, wildfires continued to spread in parts of the state ravaged by Hurricane Helene about six months ago. The largest of the blazes, the Black Cove Complex Fire, is the "the highest priority fire in the U.S.," leading surrounding states to deploy resources to assist in containing it. The Black Cove Complex Fire, burning outside the city of Saluda, is 3,288 acres in size and 17% contained as of Thursday night, according to the North Carolina Forest Service. Officials have determined it was caused by a downed powerline. Meanwhile, northwest of Columbus, the Deep Woods Fire grew to 3,373 acres and was 30% contained. In South Carolina, two large wildfires have torched 16 square miles of land and have continued to grow in recent days. On Friday, forecasters warned of continued high winds and dry conditions in the region. "Weather conditions tomorrow are a concern for increased fire activity, as relative humidity is expected to fall to 23%, and wind gusts could reach nearly 30 mph," said the South Carolina Forestry Commission. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fires spread across Carolinas as central US braces for severe storms
USA Today
28-03-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Fires rage, spread across Carolinas as central US braces for severe weekend weather
Fires rage, spread across Carolinas as central US braces for severe weekend weather Show Caption Hide Caption 100 million at risk for severe weather this weekend Widespread severe weather is possible across dozens of states, with threats including damaging winds and tornadoes. As wildfires continued to spread across the Carolinas on Friday, storms dropped heavy rain over parts of Texas and Louisiana as forecasters warned of a weekend outbreak of severe weather. Red flag warnings and wind advisories were active Friday throughout the central and eastern U.S., including in North and South Carolina, where a breakout of wildfires has triggered evacuations and destroyed homes. Flood advisories stretched from South Texas and Louisiana as a potent storm dropped 5 to 12 inches of rain. Through the weekend, forecasters say over 100 million people are at risk of severe weather, from torrential rain and possible tornadoes in the Plains region to hail and high winds in the Mississippi Valley, according to AccuWeather. More: Monster storm heading east this weekend to spew tornadoes, hail and snow On Saturday, strong storms will impact a zone from Texas to Nebraska, Arkansas and Iowa. The next day, the volatile weather will broaden, bringing a threat of hail, flash floods and possible tornadoes to a large swath of the country, from Michigan to the Gulf Coast. As the storms move eastward, they could snarl traffic and disrupt flights Monday in several major cities, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. Wildfires rage in the Carolinas In North Carolina, wildfires continued to spread in parts of the state ravaged by Hurricane Helene about six months ago. The largest of the blazes, the Black Cove Complex Fire, is the "the highest priority fire in the U.S.," leading surrounding states to deploy resources to assist in containing it. The Black Cove Complex Fire, burning outside the city of Saluda, is 3,288 acres in size and 17% contained as of Thursday night, according to the North Carolina Forest Service. Officials have determined it was caused by a downed powerline. Meanwhile, northwest of Columbus, the Deep Woods Fire grew to 3,373 acres and was 30% contained. In South Carolina, two large wildfires have torched 16 square miles of land and have continued to grow in recent days. On Friday, forecasters warned of continued high winds and dry conditions in the region. "Weather conditions tomorrow are a concern for increased fire activity, as relative humidity is expected to fall to 23%, and wind gusts could reach nearly 30 mph," said the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
