WNC fires grow: Transylvania Co. issues state of emergency, high winds expected March 26
More than 50 fire departments and more than 300 personnel from North Carolina and other states are deployed on the ground to combat the Deep Woods Fire and the Black Cove Fire in the Green River Gorge. The two fires remain at 0% containment as fire activity remains "significant," the Polk County Office of Emergency Management said March 25.
In South Carolina, the Table Rock Complex Fire has scorched 1,389 acres and is at 0% containment. Transylvania County, which borders Upstate South Carolina, issued a state of emergency on March 25 in response to the fire.
N.C. Forest Service spokesperson E.J. Dwigans provided an update on the size of the fires in the Green River Gorge the evening of March 25.
Black Cove Fire: 3,046 acres, 0% containment
Deep Woods Fire: 2,923 acres, 0% containment
Fish Hook Fire: 199 acres, 72% containment
The two larger fires are burning on state-owned and private land in the Green River Gorge through steep terrain heavily impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. National Weather Service meteorologist Clay Chaney said the area experienced wind gusts between 25-35 mph on March 25, exacerbating firefighters' ability to respond to the fires. North Carolina is currently under a statewide burn ban.
There is no chance of rain until "probably late Saturday night into Sunday," Chaney said. Wind gusts are expected to be between 20-25 mph on March 26, but will decrease March 27-28.
In response to the Black Cove Fire in Polk County, evacuation orders have been issued for residents who live along Lady Slipper Trail, Big Hungry Road, Spurgeon Cove Lane, English Heifer Cove Road, Deer Trail, Scarlets Mountain Road and Green River Cove Road addresses from 1091-1528. In Henderson County, voluntary evacuation orders have been issued for Laurel Mountain View Road and Boulder View Road.
In response to the Deep Woods Fire, evacuation orders have been issued for residents on Fox Paw Lane and from 5079-7265 Holberts Cove Road.
In total, Polk County has issued 165 evacuation orders while Henderson County has issued 29.
Polk County's shelter for wildfire evacuees is located at 75 Carmel Lane in Columbus. Henderson County's emergency shelter is at 708 South Grove St., Hendersonville.
This story will be updated.
Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com. Consider supporting this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: WNC wildfires grow in Polk, Henderson counties NC after high winds
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Tropical Storm Gil expected to become a hurricane Aug. 1: See tracker
Tropical Storm Gil continues to strengthen in the Pacific Ocean and is expected to reach hurricane status soon, while Iona is expected to remain in tropical storm status before gradually weakening. In an advisory issued at 5 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time on Friday, Aug. 1, the National Hurricane Center said Gil is located about 920 miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula and moving toward the west-northwest. Gil has maximum sustained winds near 65 mph with higher gusts and further strengthening is forecast, with Gil expected to become a hurricane on Friday, Aug. 1, NHC forecasters said. Gradual weakening is expected over the weekend. Iona, meanwhile, is located about 1,295 miles west-southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph with higher gusts. The storm is moving toward the west-northwest and this motion is expected to continue over the next couple of days with a gradual decrease in forward speed. "Little change in strength is forecast through Saturday," the hurricane center said of Iona, adding that "gradual weakening is forecast to begin on Sunday." Tropical Storm Gil path tracker This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. Tropical Storm Gil spaghetti models This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. NHC tracking three other systems brewing in Pacific The hurricane center said in a July 31 advisory it is also keeping tabs on three other systems in the Pacific Ocean. The first system is currently a trough of low pressure located about 650 miles south-southest of Hilo, Hawaii, associated with disorganized showers and thunderstorms. "While the system currently lacks a well-defined low-level center, some development is possible during the next day or so," the NHC said, however environmental conditions are expected to become less conducive for further development by this weekend. The hurricane center gives the system a 10% chance of formation through the next seven days. Additionally, an area of low pressure is expected to form well southwest of southwestern Mexico within the next day or two, according to the hurricane center. Environmental conditions appear conducive for some gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression is likely to form late this weekend or early next week as the system moves west-northwestward. The NHC gives the system an 80% chance of formation through the next seven days. Lastly, an area of low pressure is forecast to form offshore of the coast of Central America and southern Mexico by the middle part of next week. Thereafter, environmental conditions appear conducive for some development as the system moves west-northwestward. The system has a 20% chance of formation through the next seven days, according to the NHC. How do hurricanes form? Hurricanes are born in the tropics, above warm water. Clusters of thunderstorms can develop over the ocean when water temperatures exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression. A tropical depression becomes a named tropical storm once its sustained wind speeds reach 39 miles per hour. When its winds reach 74 mph, the storm officially becomes a hurricane. Prepare now for hurricanes Delaying potentially life-saving preparations could mean waiting until it's too late. "Get your disaster supplies while the shelves are still stocked, and get that insurance checkup early, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period," NOAA recommends. This story was updated to include new information. Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
A surprising tropical cyclone 'outbreak' closes out July in the Pacific
The typically unremarkable central Pacific hurricane basin saw a surprising uptick in storms in late July as both major Hurricane Iona and Tropical Storm Keli spun harmlessly far from land. "The central Pacific Ocean is in the midst of an unusual tropical cyclone 'outbreak,' recording two concurrent named storms for the first time since 2015 and its first major (Category 3 or stronger) hurricane since Dora in August 2023," said WPLG-TV hurricane expert Michael Lowry in an e-mail on July 29. Fortunately, Hurricane Iona has now (as of July 31) weakened to a tropical storm and Keli has dissipated. "Tropical Storm Iona, and the remnants of Keli, continue to track to the west, far south of the main Hawaiian Islands," the National Weather Service in Honolulu said July 31. A third system, Tropical Storm Gil, is now spinning in the eastern Pacific basin. It poses no immediate threat to any land areas. While the twin storms in the central Pacific is "unusual," it's still a far cry from the all-time records set in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific basins: According to the National Hurricane Center, there have been as many as five active Atlantic tropical cyclones at once, which occurred Sept. 10-12, 1971. In the eastern Pacific, on Aug. 26, 1974, there were five simultaneous named storms of at least tropical storm strength, Phil Klotzbach, a tropical scientist at Colorado State University, told What does the activity in the Pacific mean for the US? While eastern Pacific tropical storms and hurricanes can affect the west coast of Mexico and their remnants occasionally affect the Southwest U.S. with drenching rain, central Pacific storms usually miss all land areas, though they can sometimes affect Hawaii. Tropical cyclones in the Pacific and Atlantic, while similar storms, have slightly different "seasons," with the eastern Pacific season starting two weeks earlier. Additionally, the large-scale climate factors that go into a given season's level of activity are different: For example, if forecasters predict an active Atlantic season due to La Niña, the opposite prediction is usually made for the eastern Pacific, which tends to be more active during El Niño years. As well, individual storms in each basin seldom interact directly since Central America acts as a barrier between the two basins. And while some storms can cross over between basins, usually their low-level circulation dissipates before making a complete crossover, the hurricane center said. Furthermore, hurricanes very rarely cross over from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic basin, AccuWeather reports: most of the hurricanes that have crossed over, records show, have taken a path from the Atlantic basin to the Pacific basin. In addition, both the central and eastern Pacific basins are separate from the Atlantic basin, which is the basin that we're most familiar with. All the basins have separate lists of names. Iona was a major hurricane The Central Pacific Hurricane Center said in a July 29 advisory that Hurricane Iona had strengthened into a major hurricane several hundred miles south of the Hawaiian Islands. At its peak, the storm had maximum sustained winds near 125 mph with higher gusts, making Iona a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale. However, by July 31, Iona had weakened to a 50-mph tropical storm and continued to move west into the open Pacific Ocean, far from land. "There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect," the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said. Where is the central Pacific hurricane basin? The central Pacific basin encompasses all storms and hurricanes that form between 140° West Longitude and the International Date Line. It's distinct from the more familiar eastern Pacific basin, with the dividing line being an invisible line in midst of the ocean (140°W). Additionally, the National Hurricane Center handles naming for storms in the eastern Pacific, while the Central Pacific Hurricane Center handles naming for storms in the central Pacific. More: Hurricane Iona has strengthened into a Category 3 storm: See path Central Pacific basin is usually rather quiet The central Pacific basin can see a wide range of activity depending on the year, according to Lowry. Generally, he said the basin observes its most active hurricane seasons during El Niño years like 2015, 2009, and 1997 when it recorded 16, 7, and 9 tropical cyclones respectively. On average, the central Pacific sees only 4 to 5 tropical cyclones (tropical depression, storms, or hurricanes) each season and around three named storms (tropical storm or hurricanes), Lowry said. NOAA predicted a less active central Pacific hurricane season in 2025, with a range of 1-4 tropical cyclones across the basin. (This story has been updated with new information.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane forecasters eye 'outbreak' of tropical cyclones in Pacific Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
National Hurricane Center tracking 4 tropical waves. August brings increased risk for hurricanes
The tropics remain quiet in the Atlantic basin, but forecasters are warning activity is expected to pick up this month. "August arrives with a whiff of impending calamity," said Dr. Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist with WeatherTiger, who also described August as "the worst month of the year." Truchelut is a Florida meteorologist who works with the USA TODAY Network. Water temperatures from the coast of Africa to the Gulf and southwestern Atlantic are at or above 80 degrees, which supports tropical development, according to AccuWeather. ➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location While the National Hurricane Center anticipates no tropical activity over the next seven days, AccuWeather forecasters are keeping an eye on an area showing potential for development off the U.S. east coast in early August. "Historically, there have been about 30 August U.S. major hurricane landfalls in the last 175 years, with a clear preference for these most powerful storms to strike the western Gulf," Truchelut said. Most storms develop between mid-August and mid-October, and forecasters said several signs are out there indicating activity will be picking up. The next named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season will be Dexter. The fourth named storm in the Atlantic basin typically arrives Aug. 15, with the average first hurricane forming Aug. 11. Forecasters warn now is the time to prepare for a hurricane, and you can save on hurricane supplies starting today. A permanent ban on sales taxes for certain hurricane supplies began Friday, Aug. 1. ➤ Track active storms In the Pacific, forecasters are watching five tropical systems, including Tropical Storms Gil and Iona. Gil is expected to strengthen into a hurricane later today. ➤ Pacific hurricane season up to 9 named storms. What about Atlantic? Here's the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center as of 8 a.m. Aug. 1: What is the National Hurricane Center tracking in the tropics? The National Hurricane Center is tracking three tropical waves in the Atlantic basin, including two in the Caribbean. Tropical wave 1: A tropical wave is in the central Atlantic with axis near 55W, and moving west around 17 mph. Tropical wave 2: A tropical wave is in the eastern Caribbean with axis near 66W south of 20N, moving west at 11 to 17 mph. Tropical wave 3: A tropical wave is in the western Caribbean with axis near 81W south of 20N, moving west at 6 to 11 mph. Is there a hurricane coming toward Florida? No tropical development is expected in the Atlantic basin over the next seven days, according to the National Hurricane Center. "In the coming days, we will be watching the zone from northeast of Florida to just off the Carolina coast for tropical development," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. ➤ Enjoy quietest start to hurricane season since 2009; but back half could be brutal "Initially, this area, as well as farther west over the interior of the Carolinas, Georgia, northern Florida and southern Alabama, will be quite active in terms of drenching showers and gusty thunderstorms from this weekend to early next week. "Fronts that stall near the warm waters of the southwestern Atlantic sometimes can slowly brew a tropical storm or a storm that forms along the front and becomes tropical over time. The latter tends to have much greater wind potential than a non-tropical storm and can go on to become a powerful hurricane. "Roughly from Saturday, Aug. 2, to Tuesday, Aug. 5, is the time frame for a tropical storm to develop just off the U.S. southern Atlantic coast," DaSilva said, adding steering breezes would likely guide any storm away from the U.S. later next week. "By the middle of next week, it's worth keeping an eye on the area between Florida, the Carolinas, and Bermuda, where one such wave may interact with a stalled-out cold front. But overall, I don't see significant tropical threats to the U.S. in the first third of August," Truchelut said. "Historically, there have been about 30 August U.S. major hurricane landfalls in the last 175 years, with a clear preference for these most powerful storms to strike the western Gulf." Could Florida feel any impacts from potential system off US coast? Regardless of development, tropical moisture that interacts with the stalled front and low pressure associated with a brewing storm is likely to unleash torrential downpours along the southern Atlantic Coast to the northeastern Gulf Coast from this weekend to early next week, according to AccuWeather. In areas that receive these downpours repeatedly day after day, the threat for flash flooding will grow and increase, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said. The worst rain is predicted to miss Florida, but areas across the Panhandle and North Florida could see between 2 to almost 4 inches of rain, according to NOAA. The worst rain is expected to fall across southeast Georgia to coastal South Carolina, which could see 4 to 8 inches of rain over several days, AccuWeather warned. "Those with beach plans should be mindful of locally rough surf, thunderstorm downpours and the risk of brief tornadoes and waterspouts. Tropical Storm Gil expected to strengthen into hurricane in Pacific The National Hurricane Center is tracking four systems in the Pacific, including the seventh named storm in the eastern Pacific: Tropical Storm Gil. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 65 mph, with higher gusts. Further strengthening is forecast, and Gil is expected to become a hurricane today, Aug. 1. Iona is weakening, with maximum sustained winds now at 45 mph. Little change in strength is forecast during the next day or two. Gradual weakening is forecast to begin Aug. 3. : Disorganized showers and thunderstorms are associated with a trough of low pressure located well south-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii. Environmental conditions are becoming increasingly unfavorable, anddevelopment is no longer anticipated. An area of low pressure is expected to form well southwest of southwestern Mexico within the next day or two. Environmental conditions appear conducive for some gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression is likely to form late this weekend or early next week. An area of low pressure is forecast to form offshore of the coast of Central America and southern Mexico by the middle part of next week. Thereafter, environmental conditions appear conducive for some development. Most of Florida under heat advisory On July 31, almost all of Florida — the lone exception was Monroe County — was under a heat advisory. On Friday, Aug. 1, heat advisories have been issued for Florida except for the western tip of the Panhandle and most of the west coast. Pensacola, western Panhandle: Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 106. Tallahassee, central Panhandle: A heat advisory is in effect through this evening. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon with gusty winds, frequent lightning and heavy rainfall. Jacksonville, North, Northeast Florida: The heatwave is expected to continue into Saturday. Don't be fooled by slightly lower air temps this weekend; the humidity will make it feel dangerously hot, with heat index values hitting 105-112. A heat advisory begins at 10 a.m. Daytona Beach to Stuart, central and eastern Florida: Stretch of hazardous heat continues. A heat advisory is in effect for all of East Central Florida today for heat index values up to 110 degrees. Showers and storms begin along the sea breeze by midday, moving inland in the afternoon/evening. South Florida: A heat advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today. Offshore scattered showers continue on both coasts this morning. Southwest, western Florida: temperatures trending back closer to normal as rain chances increase. Temps in the mid 90s, with heat index between 100 and 107. 2025 hurricane season so far An average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. Here's when this year's named storms have developed, compared to historical averages: Tropical Storm Andrea: formed June 24. Average start date: June 20 Tropical Storm Barry: formed June 29. Average start date: July 17 Tropical Storm Chantal: formed July 5. Average start date: Aug. 3. Next up, Dexter: Average start date: Aug. 15, with the average first hurricane forming Aug. 11. ➤ How to set up emergency cellphone notifications for flash flood warnings and safety tips ➤ Excessive rainfall forecast Hurricane names for 2025 season Here are the names for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, along with how to pronounce them: Andrea (June 24) Barry (June 29) Chantal (July 5) Dexter: DEHK-ster Erin: AIR-rin Fernand: fair-NAHN Gabrielle: ga-bree-ELL Humberto: oom-BAIR-toh Imelda: ee-MEHL-dah Jerry: JEHR-ee Karen: KAIR-ren Lorenzo: loh-REN-zoh Melissa: meh-LIH-suh Nestor: NES-tor Olga: OAL-guh Pablo: PAHB-lo Rebekah: reh-BEH-kuh Sebastien: se-BAS-tee-en Tanya: TAHN-yuh Van: van Wendy: WEN-dee When is the Atlantic hurricane season? The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Ninety-seven percent of tropical cyclone activity occurs during this time period, NOAA said. The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories. When is the peak of hurricane season? National Hurricane Center map: See what forecasters watching now Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center include: Why does NHC say 'tropical cyclone' on its maps instead of hurricane or tropical storm? Tropical cyclone is the generic term used by the National Weather Service, NOAA and the National Hurricane Center for any tropical system, even if it's in the tropical Atlantic basin. To be more precise, a tropical cyclone is a "rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation," NOAA said. Once maximum sustained winds reach 74 mph, what it is called is determined by where it originated: : for storms in the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and eastern North Pacific. : for storms in the Northwest Pacific. : for storms in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. Interactive map: Hurricanes, tropical storms that have passed near your city Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text What's next? We will update our tropical weather coverage daily. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Hurricane Center hurricane forecast, Florida impacts for August
