Multiple wildfires erupt in the Carolinas, force evacuations and state of emergency declaration
A fire in North Carolina's Polk County has burned between 400 to 500 acres and was at zero containment, according to Jeremy Waldrop with the North Carolina Fire Service. Waldrop said that structures could be at risk and officials would assess any potential damage Sunday morning.
The NCFS on Sunday performed controlled burns to slow down the spread of the blaze and strengthened fire lines that were already in place, officials said.
Polk County announced evacuations in a Facebook Post for residents along U.S. Highway 176 between Tryon and Saluda, warning that the fire is spreading rapidly, and multiple departments were working on containment.
Tryon has a population of about 1,500 people, while Saluda's is under 1,000. The towns are approximately 40 miles south of Asheville.
In South Carolina, Horry County Fire Rescue evacuated residents from several neighborhoods in the Carolina Forest, around 10 miles west of Myrtle Beach, due to a forest fire that has burned over 1,200 acres. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMacter issued a state of emergency on Sunday in response to the ongoing fire that was at zero containment.
"We are being evacuated from our neighborhood as winds have increased and shifted," resident Jason Jawz wrote Facebook, posting a video of billowing smoke on Sunday morning.
Two planes and a Blackhawk helicopter were seen dropping water on the fire Sunday morning. Tractors also helped dig lines around the blaze in an effort to contain it.
By late Sunday afternoon, Horry County Fire Rescue said all residents previously evacuated were able to return home, warning them to watch out for any rekindling and hotspots. A statewide burn ban for all counties was still in effect after over 100 ignitions were reported Saturday, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
A red flag warning from the National Weather Service expired late Saturday night for western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. Red Flag warnings indicate critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or imminent.
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USA Today
12 hours ago
- USA Today
What makes coastal California's Crescent City so vulnerable to tsunamis?
Crescent City, California, residents are breathing a sigh of relief after its latest tsunami warning was downgraded to an advisory. Crescent City, a redwood-tree lined coastal California community, is known as the tsunami capital of the country. The city has experienced more than three-dozen tsunamis in the last century. Once again, tsunami waves ‒ luckily modest this time ‒ reached the town, peaking as high as 4 feet near city shores before dawn on July 30, according to the National Weather Service. The waves came just hours after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake, one of the strongest tremblors in recorded history, struck off Russia's east coast, prompting tsunami waves in Hawaii and along the West Coast. "It was a long night for all of us. We were fortunate this time," Crescent City Manager Eric Weir said during a morning briefing on July 30. "There was significant tsunami surges. We're still dealing with those now, but it did stay within the banks." The July 29 tsunami warning was initially expected to last as long as 30 hours in Crescent City, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Weir said the waves caused significant damage to a harbor dock as it lifted decking off the pilings, but the rest of the city was spared. "Downtown is at a high enough elevation that it is open," Weir said, about an hour before the tsunami warning was downgraded to an "advisory" for Crescent City, one of the last West Coast communities considered still at risk. City officials still advised locals to stay away from the harbor, beaches and waterways due to continued wave activity. "Conditions have started to improve," city officials said in a Facebook post. "But the ocean is still angry." Coastal calm: Tsunami evacuation orders lifted in Hawaii, threat to West Coast eases Crescent City's deadly tsunami history What makes Crescent City, a town of about 6,700 residents located about 25 miles south of the Oregon border, so tsunami-prone? Crescent City is vulnerable because it is located near the southern end of the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a major fault line capable of producing dangerous tsunamis and intense earthquakes, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. Several published studies also indicate that a Cascadia Subduction Zone tsunami can cause severe damage and inland flooding. In 2011, the earthquake in Japan spurred waves of more than 8 feet, destroying Crescent City's harbor. "The water went out to a low tide, but each wave was coming back in and it was getting higher and higher," Max Blair, 79, a volunteer at the Del Norte Historical Society located near downtown Crescent City, recalled to USA TODAY on July 30. "The harbor was a whole different story." One man died during the incident as the harbor docks were smashed and dozens of boats sank, causing an estimated $50 million in damage. The harbor was eventually rebuilt as the first "tsunami resistant port" on the West Coast. Another deadly tsunami struck Crescent City in 1964, triggered by a massive earthquake in Alaska, killing 11 people and injuring 35 others. The tsunami destroyed nearly 300 buildings and homes, causing between $11 million and $16 million in damages. The incident is considered one of the most devastating tsunamis in U.S. history. "I've heard and read about it," said Blair who's lived in Crescent City for more than 30 years. "I hope we never get to experience anything like that one."
CBS News
15 hours ago
- CBS News
Tsunami risk appears to pass for U.S. after massive Russian earthquake; South American countries issue new warnings
One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck Russia's Far East early Wednesday, sending tsunami waves into Hawaii, the U.S. West Coast and Japan. Several people were injured, none gravely, and no major damage has been reported so far. The 8.8 magnitude temblor struck off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, an isolated strip along the Pacific Ocean, overnight. Residents of the peninsula fled inland as 16-foot waves caused flooding. Immediately after the earthquake, Hawaii issued a tsunami warning and evacuation orders, but by Wednesday morning, the warning was downgraded to an advisory and evacuation orders were lifted on the Big Island and Oahu. Japan's Meteorological Agency also lowered its alerts to advisories. States on the U.S. West Coast were placed under a tsunami advisory that remained in effect Wednesday morning. But U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the worst was over. "We were fully deployed and ready to respond if necessary but grateful that we didn't have to deal with the situation that this could have been," she told reporters in Chile, where she is meeting officials. Experts had warned earlier that the effects of the earthquake may continue through Wednesday. "A tsunami is not just one wave," said Dan Snider, the tsunami warning coordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska. "It's a series of powerful waves over a long period of time. Tsunamis cross the ocean at hundreds of miles an hour — as fast as a jet airplane — in deep water. But when they get close to the shore, they slow down and start to pile up. And that's where that inundation problem becomes a little bit more possible there." "In this case, because of the Earth basically sending out these huge ripples of water across the ocean, they're going to be moving back and forth for quite a while," which is why some communities may feel effects longer, he said. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, which lifted the Hawaii warning, had forecast that the estimated arrival time of the first tsunami waves there would be 7:17 p.m. Tuesday local time (1:17 a.m. Wednesday ET). Officials urged people to move inland and shelters were opened in many parts of Hawaii. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said that Black Hawk helicopters had been activated and high-water vehicles were on standby in case authorities needed to conduct rescue operations. So far no damage has been recorded, but it will take two to three hours of observation before authorities will be able to determine whether the event has passed, Green said. Green said data from Midway Atoll, a small island between Japan and Hawaii, measured waves that were about 6 feet from peak to trough. He warned that waves hitting Hawaii could be bigger or smaller. Cars jammed streets and highways in Honolulu, even in areas away from the shore, as people tried to evacuate. Jimmy Markowski, who was visiting Honolulu's Waikiki Beach, said that the roads on the island were packed. "We decided to go to elevated ground," Markowski told "CBS Mornings." "We passed a few other gas stations, you couldn't even get in 'em." CBS Honolulu affiliate KGMB-TV reported that the first waves coming ashore were relatively small, though they came at high tide. Flooding was reported in numerous shoreline areas, including parking lots and boat harbors. The PTSC said the Hilo, Hawaii, gauge recorded a tsunami height of 4.9 feet relative to normal sea levels and the Kahului, Maui, gauge recorded a tsunami height of 4 feet. At around 10 p.m. local time, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center director Chip McCreery said wave heights appeared to have peaked. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management said on Facebook at around 3 a.m. local time that small tsunami waves were expected along the coast and urged people to stay away from beaches, harbors and marinas and to remain in a safe location away from the coast until the advisory is lifted. "This is not a major tsunami, but dangerous currents and strong waves may pose a risk to those near the water," the department said. A tsunami warning was posted for a portion of the California coast near the border with Oregon, but was later lowered to an advisory. California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted a statement on X saying the state's Office of Emergency Services was coordinating with local officials in Northern California, from Cape Mendocino to the Oregon border. The advisory extended along the whole California coast. Dr. Lucy Jones told CBS News Los Angeles that experts with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were predicting waves of about a foot for most of Southern California. The National Weather Service said on X that tsunami waves arrived in Monterey around 12:48 a.m. PT. Other cities along the California coast reported small to moderate-sized tsunami waves. A video shared by the National Weather Service Bay Area showed boats bobbing up and down in a harbor as they were rocked by small tsunami waves. The National Weather Service in Eureka, California, said around 4 a.m. local time that Crescent City had seen tsunami waves of about 3.5 feet, with activity building as the region approached a minor high tide. High tide could lead to more flooding. Crescent City has seen dozens of tsunamis since the 1930s, including a 1964 event that killed 11 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings. The National Weather Service Bay Area warned that even if the waves are small, they can cause "seriously dangerous" currents. The first waves also may not be the highest, the agency said, warning people to avoid coastal areas until told it's safe. On Alaska's Aleutian Islands, officials recorded waves up to 1.4 feet above tide levels. The quake was centered about 74 miles east-southeast of the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of 180,000. Multiple aftershocks as strong as 6.9 magnitude followed and experts predict aftershocks of up to 7.5 for at least a month, according to the Russian News agency TASS. The temblor appeared to be the strongest anywhere in the world since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake off northeastern Japan in March 2011 that caused a massive tsunami that set off meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. Only a few stronger earthquakes have ever been measured around the world. Earlier this month, five powerful quakes — the largest with a magnitude of 7.4 — struck in the sea near Kamchatka. The largest was at a depth of 12.4 miles and was 89 miles east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The Kremlin said regional authorities on Kamchatka were well prepared for the quake. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the warnings were issued timely and people were quickly evacuated from dangerous areas. He added that the buildings proved resilient to shocks. A video released by a Russian media outlet showed a team of doctors at a cancer clinic on Kamchatka holding a patient and clutching medical equipment as the quake rocked an operating room, before continuing with surgery after the shaking stopped. Officials said the doctors will receive decorations. Tsunami heights of about 9 to 13 feet were recorded in Kamchatka. Severokurilsk Mayor Alexander Ovsyannikov said the port in the city was flooded by tsunami waves, washing fishing boats into the sea. He said no major damage was recorded. Authorities on the Kamchatka peninsula lifted the tsunami warning for the area, some 11 hours after the quake hit. Russian authorities said several people were injured, without giving a figure. The risk of aftershocks and waves remains, officials said. On Wednesday, lava began to flow from Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the largest active volcano in the northern hemisphere. The 15,584-foot volcano, located in the east of Kamchatka, last erupted in 2023. Observers heard explosions and saw streams of lava on the volcano's western slopes, the Kamchatka branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences' geophysical service said. Scientists have anticipated an eruption, with the volcano's crater filling with lava for several weeks and the mountain spitting out plumes of ash. "The Klyuchevskoy is erupting right now," the Russian Geophysical Survey said on Telegram, posting photos of an orange blaze on top of the volcano and adding that "red-hot lava is observed flowing down the western slope. There is a powerful glow above the volcano and explosions." Sometimes described as the "land of fire and ice," Kamchatka is one of the most active volcanic regions in the world. It has about 300 volcanoes, of which 29 are active, according to NASA Earth Observatory. The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 8.0, Japanese and U.S. seismologists said. The U.S. Geological Survey later updated its strength to 8.8 magnitude and a depth of 13 miles. People went to evacuation centers in affected areas of Japan, with memories fresh of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused reactor meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. The tsunami alert disrupted transportation, with ferries, trains and airports in the affected area suspending or delaying some operations. Waves of about 2 feet were recorded on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, and at least one person was injured. Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said nearly 2 million residents are now under evacuation advisories in more than 220 municipalities along the Pacific coast as of midday Wednesday. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said waves could remain high for at least one day, and he urged evacuees to take precautions and stay well hydrated in the summer heat. He told evacuees they might not be able to return home by the end of the day on Wednesday. No abnormalities in operations at Japan's nuclear plants were reported on Wednesday. The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, heavily damaged by the 2011 tsunami, said about 4,000 workers are taking shelter on higher ground at the plant complex while monitoring remotely to ensure safety. China's Ministry of Natural Resources' Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert for parts of the country's east coast along Shanghai and Zhejiang provinces. The warning forecasted that waves could reach between one to three feet. The provinces are already under an alert as Typhoon CoMay is expected to land in the Zhejiang province on Wednesday. Some tiny and low-lying Pacific island chains are among the world's most imperiled by tsunamis and rising seas due to climate change. People were urged to stay away from coastlines until any wave surges passed late Wednesday in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia and Solomon Islands. Philippine authorities advised people to stay away from the beach and coastal areas. "It may not be the largest of waves, but these can continue for hours and expose people swimming in the waters to danger," Teresito Bacolcol of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology told The Associated Press. Elsewhere, a tsunami of under a foot was forecast to hit parts of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Mexico's navy warned that tsunami waves will start reaching the northern coast in Ensenada, near California, at around 02:22 a.m. Wednesday local time, and waves could progress along the Pacific coast to Chiapas state, around 07:15 a.m. local time. In Chile, tsunami warnings were upgraded to their highest level on Wednesday morning. The alert covers most of the nation's 4,000-mile Pacific coastline. The country's Education Ministry also canceled classes along much of the coast. New Zealand authorities warned of "strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges" along all coastlines of the South Pacific island nation. The emergency management agency said people should move out of the water, off beaches and away from harbors, marinas, rivers and estuaries. There are four levels of tsunami alerts: warning, advisory, watch and information statement, according to the National Weather Service. A tsunami warning is the most severe. It means residents should take action due to a coming tsunami that may cause widespread flooding. A tsunami advisory means there's the potential for "strong currents or waves dangerous to those in or very near the water," according to the NWS. A tsunami watch advises those to be prepared because a distant earthquake has occurred and a tsunami is possible. The lowest level of alert is a tsunami information statement from the NWS, which advises people to "relax" since an earthquake has occurred, but there is no threat or it was very far away.
The Hill
20 hours ago
- The Hill
Hawaii downgrades tsunami warning
Hawaii lifted an evacuation order Wednesday morning after being struck by waves from a tsunami following an 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia. The earthquake sent shockwaves through Japan, Hawaii and the West Coast of the U.S. An advisory order remains in place for the islands, warning local residents to take heed of harsher winds and rip currents in the ocean. 'A tsunami is not just one wave. It's a series of powerful waves over a long period of time. Tsunamis cross the ocean at hundreds of miles an hour — as fast as a jet airplane — in deep water,' Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska, told The Associated Press. 'But when they get close to the shore, they slow down and start to pile up. And that's where that inundation problem becomes a little bit more possible there,' he added. The Department of Transportation canceled all flights to and from Maui on Tuesday as Hilo International Airport was also closed and baggage operations at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport were temporarily suspended. Although the Hawaii evacuation order has been lifted, authorities are encouraging those returning to remain vigilant. 'As you return home, still stay off the beach and stay out of the water,' said James Barros, administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, per the AP. Black Hawk helicopter crews were activated by Gov. Josh Green (D-Hawaii) to ensure vehicles were prepared to rescue any individuals caught in the water. However, Hawaii was not the only U.S. state impacted by the Russian earthquake. Northern California saw waves up to 5.7 feet while water reached a foot above tide level in Alaska, the news wire reported. Seattle also felt rougher currents due to the aftershock of the earthquake. 'Due to a massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii. A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way,' President Trump wrote late Tuesday in a post on Truth Social.
