Latest news with #RattlesnakeBranchFire
Yahoo
03-04-2025
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Latest information on Rattlesnake Branch fire
CRUSO, N.C. (WSPA) – The Rattlesnake Branch Fire initially began on March 26, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Here is the latest information on the wildfire and how crews are continuing containment. The Rattlesnake Branch Fire is on private land and the Shining Rock Wilderness Area on Pisgah National Forest around the community of Cruso, approximately 11 miles southeast of Waynesville, North Carolina. As of Thursday, April 3, the fire is estimated to have reached approximately 1,843 acres, and is currently 26% contained. Due to humid weather and predictions of rain and thunderstorms, firefighters and equipment will begin to be released from the fire starting today. They will continue patrolling and monitoring the area while further containing the fire. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
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Western NC wildfires live updates Monday, March 31: See the latest on major fires
Firefighters made progress over the weekend battling major wildfires in Western North Carolina and the South Carolina Upstate, but the fires continue to be dangers Monday, March 31. Higher humidity, cloud cover, lower winds and rain were not ideal for fire spreading but did make for better conditions for fighting the wildfires. Evacuations were lifted in Transylvania County. In Polk County, there are no longer evacuations, and the county's emergency shelter is closed. Nevertheless, large fires continue to burn. The largest are the Table Rock Complex fires in Pickens and Greenville counties in the Upstate, the Black Cove Complex fires in Polk and Henderson counties, the Rattlesnake Branch Fire in Haywood County and the Alarka 5 Fire in Swain County. The Citizen Times will keep you updated on news from the fires Monday. To see where the fires are located and get information on their sizes, origins and more, check out our interactive fires map, which is updated hourly. For more information on the fires and for a picture of how conditions have been developing, take a look at our live coverage from Sunday, March 30; Saturday, March 29; Friday, March 28; Thursday, March 27; and Wednesday, March 26. Here are the statuses of the major fires we're following as of Sunday evening, March 30: Alarka 5 Fire: 1,511 acres, 37% containment. Black Cove Complex Black Cove Fire: 3,502 acres, 36% containment. Back Woods Fire: 3,970 acres, 32% containment. Fish Hook Fire: 199 acres, 100% containment. Rattlesnake Branch Fire: 1,882 acres, 21% containment Table Rock Complex Table Rock Fire: 13,167 acres, 9% containment Persimmon Ridge Fire: 2,078 acres, 24% containment Todd Runkle is the Carolinas Connect editor and also a trending news editor for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trunkle@ This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Western NC wildfires live updates March 30: Where are the fires?
Yahoo
30-03-2025
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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
30-03-2025
- Climate
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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?
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
A dangerous storm is sweeping the nation with severe weather risk
An outbreak of severe weather this weekend and into early next week could impact millions of Americans, with the potential for thunderstorms, large hail, destructive winds and tornadoes, forecasters said Saturday. More than 180 million people could see severe weather through midweek, with more than two dozen states at risk, according to AccuWeather. The threat will start Saturday night, with hail, damaging winds, flash flooding and tornadoes that could impact cities including Dallas; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Topeka and Wichita, Kansas; Kansas City and Springfield, Missouri; and Des Moines, Iowa. Then on Sunday, the weather will shift further east and into the middle Mississippi Valley and portions of the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, AccuWeather said. "On Sunday, we are probably looking at a dozen or two tornadoes," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. And to the north, ice, snow and sleet is expected in states from the Northern Plains into the Great Lakes region to New England where winter weather advisories blanketed Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and parts of New York, according to the National Weather Service. Light to moderate snow and freezing rain is expected in the New England states. "These amounts of ice are likely lead to tree damage and power outages," the weather service said. Saturday into Sunday, between 2 and 4 inches of snow is expected, with some higher amounts locally up to 8 inches, in northern Nebraska, southern South Dakota, central Minnesota, far northern Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. More than 4 million people were under red flag warnings on Saturday across most of New Mexico and parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado. Gusty winds, higher-than-usual temperatures and low moisture levels put the area at "critical risk" for wildfires on Saturday and Sunday, the weather service said. Avoid open flames and sparks, don't park vehicles on dry grass and discard of cigarettes carefully, the weather service in Albuquerque warned Saturday, adding that winds will be at their strongest Saturday and again on Tuesday. An outbreak of wildfires in the Carolinas has forced evacuations and destroyed homes over the last 10 days. Firefighters in North Carolina were still battling blazes and fires continue to pop up. Though weather conditions are expected to improve Saturday, the risk for new fires continues. 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. Carolina fire updates: Western NC wildfires blaze on Saturday, March 29 Contributing: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY; The Asheville Citizen Times This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Severe weather risk in forecast for millions as storm sweeps US
