Wildfires Force Evacuations in the Carolinas as New Jersey Teams Tackle Their Own Fire

Wildfires prompted a mandatory evacuation on Sunday in a North Carolina county that is still in recovery from Hurricane Helene, while South Carolina’s governor declared a state of emergency due to a spreading wildfire in the area. Farther north, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service was engaged in efforts to control a blaze within the Wharton State Forest.

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety issued a mandatory evacuation notice beginning at 8:20 p.m. on Saturday for designated areas in Polk County, located roughly 80 miles west of Charlotte.

“Visibility in the region will be diminished and roads/evacuation routes could become obstructed; if you do not evacuate now, you may find yourself trapped, injured, or worse,” the agency warned in a social media update.

A shelter has been set up in Columbus, North Carolina.

Currently, three active fires are burning in Polk County, with one covering 1.9 square miles and another spanning 2.8 square miles, both uncontained as of Sunday afternoon. County spokesperson Kellie Cannon reported that the larger of the two fires has resulted in the loss of one residence.

A third fire, which has impacted approximately 199 acres and is 50 percent contained, has also destroyed three homes. The previous evacuation order related to this fire has been rescinded, according to Cannon.

The North Carolina Forest Service’s online wildfire viewer showed active fires on Sunday in Burke County and Stokes County, which borders Virginia.

In South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster announced a state of emergency on Saturday, allowing emergency personnel in Pickens County to combat the Table Rock Fire located in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“The State of Emergency enables us to mobilize resources swiftly and ensures our firefighters have the necessary support,” McMaster stated, reiterating a statewide outdoor burning ban that was put in place by the South Carolina Forestry Commission on Friday.

Local fire officials suggested voluntary evacuations for some residents near Table Rock Mountain, as noted in a post on the forestry commission’s social media platform.

The human-caused fire expanded to over 300 acres with no established containment, according to the commission on Sunday. New spot fires emerged outside the original fire area, and the steep landscape hampered access for heavier firefighting equipment. Additionally, downed timber from Hurricane Helene worsened the situation. About 100 residences remained under voluntary evacuation orders as of Sunday afternoon.

North Carolina’s western region has already faced significant challenges due to Hurricane Helene in September, which damaged or affected 5,000 miles of state-maintained roadways and impacted 7,000 private roads, bridges, and culverts.

Additionally, this weekend, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service has been combating a wildfire that broke out in Wharton State Forest on Saturday. As of early Sunday, the fire had consumed approximately 2.7 square miles and was about 50 percent contained, according to an update shared at 8 a.m. on the service’s Facebook page.

Emergency officials reported the evacuation of two campgrounds in the park. Although eighteen buildings were located near the fire, the flames were moving away from them, and no evacuations of structures were necessary.

The cause of that fire is currently under investigation.