A forest fire that the emergency department of the county of McDowell called “out of control” broke out in the city of west of North Carolina, Old Fort, on Wednesday, only four months after the area was ravaged by Hurricane Helene. Wednesday evening, the fire, nicknamed Croooked Creek’s fire, has so far burned 250 acres, said emergency officials, and was 15%.
Evacuations are now underway in certain regions of Old fortwhich was among the harshest cities affected by Helene when she touched Earth at the end of September. Local evacuation orders for residents can be found here. An emergency refuge was opened at 203 East Main Street and residents of the affected areas were invited to evacuate to ensure their safety, officials said.
“The violent winds continue to create dangerous fire conditions,” said the McDowell County Emergency Department in its last update. “Firefighters continue to focus on protecting the structure for several houses in the region and continue to work on the establishment of fire containment lines.”
In their 18 -hour update, officials said the winds should decrease throughout the evening.
The fire comes after the emergency management officials issued a wind opinion that started at midnight on Wednesday. Officials had warned of 15 to 25 MPH of winds with gusts of up to 50 MPH which were to last up to 6 p.m. today.
Winds only added to dry conditions were felt in the region. Meteorologist CBS News and Stations, Nikki Nolan, said that Old Fort, who normally receives on average less than 4 inches of rain in January, has so far received only 0.58 inch. Dry conditions are fuels known for fires due to dry vegetation, and strong winds help fires spread more quickly.
According to the affiliate of CBS WNCN, the first reports indicate that the fire was triggered by a tree falling on a power line.
Tens of thousands of houses were said to have been damaged in the west of Carolina from northern Hurricane Helene in September. In Old Fort, at least 47 houses and buildings were destroyed in the city of just over 800 people, and 36 other houses were damaged, according to the Asheville Citizen-Totes.
Thousands of people remain displaced, according to citizens.