Evacuation orders have now increased in North Carolina as several wildfires continue to grow.
Federal firefighting teams, including 25 personnel flown in from Oregon, arrived Saturday to assist local crews in Polk County, North Carolina. The growing emergency prompted the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to declare the 2,000-acre Black Cove Fire zero percent contained as of Sunday.
The Black Cove Fire began last Wednesday in the Green River Gorge, quickly spreading due to dry conditions and steep terrain. Polk County declared a state of emergency that same day. This morning the slight rainfall is helping a bit with the fires, but the rain is expected to be short lived.
Gov. Josh Stein announced Sunday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved a grant to support the state’s wildfire response. The funding will help with suppression costs and resource coordination.
Evacuation orders expanded Sunday to include five more roads near the fire zone, as Polk County Emergency Management worked to protect nearby communities.
Officials have still not confirmed any injuries or fatalities from the wildfires.
