What you need to know about the Polk County wildfires
Here are the highlights of the meeting and the current status of the wildfires:
Black Cove:
The Black Cove fire began on Wednesday, March 18, and has reached up to 2,000+ acres as of today. There is currently 0% containment. The North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS) said that they have been using aircraft and removing debris left from Hurricane Helene to prevent the fire from spreading further north.
Deep Woods:
The Deep Woods fire was spotted while officials were focusing on the Black Cove fire. The NCFS said that they are currently focusing on preventing the fire from spreading to nearby homes and residences near Piney Mountain. As of today, the Deep Woods fire has reached up to 2,500+ acres, and is currently at 0% containment.
Fish Hook:
The Fish Hook Fire was reported on Thursday, March 20 due to strong winds in the area, according to the NCFS. The Fish Hook fire is currently at 190+ acres, and is at 50% containment. The NCFS stated that the Fish Hook fire has been easier to manage due to being closer to a neighborhood, therefore providing easier access to resources such as paved roads. Currently the NCFS is patrolling the area and ensuring that the fire does not spread to residences.
The Polk County Emergency Management (PCEM) said that they are currently working on retrieving more resources for the Forest Service to continue combatting the wildfires. PCEM is in contact with State Emergency Management and FEMA to receive more aid as multiple wildfires around the state continue to appear and further limit resources.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office state that they have officers patrolling the evacuated areas in order to prevent looting. The Sheriff's Office asks that, if you have any animals that were left during the evacuation, to contact animal control.
Officials are currently contacting departments in other states, such as Tennessee and Alabama, to receive more resources and man power. Due to wildfires in other states, it is difficult to acquire outside resources.
Authorities ask people to continue avoiding the areas while crews are working to contain the fires.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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