Wildfires force evacuations in North Carolina's Polk County, South Carolina declares 'emergency'

The devastating wildfire forced the public safety department to announce a mandatory evacuation in North Carolina's Polk County while South Carolina's governor has declared a state of emergency due to spreading fires.
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety ordered mandatory evacuations at 8.20 pm Saturday for sections of Polk County, situated 80 miles (129 kilometers) west of Charlotte.
"Visibility in area will be reduced and roads/evacuation routes can become blocked; if you do not leave now, you could be trapped, injured, or killed," stated the agency via social media.
A shelter has been established in Columbus, North Carolina, according to the public safety department.

The North Carolina Forest Service reports three active fires in Polk County, with two major blazes covering 1.7 square miles (4.4 square kilometers) to 1.9 square miles (4.9 square kilometers). Additional fires are burning in Burke, Madison, and Stokes counties, the latter bordering Virginia.

North Carolina issues 'Code Red,' signaling unhealthy air

Due to the three separate fires -- the

Black Cove Fire

,

Deep Woods Fire

and the Fish Hook Fire-- the North Carolina Division of Air Quality issued a "Code Red" alert signaling unhealthy air for Polk County, and a "Code Orange" in Rutherford County, signaling unhealthy air for people sensitive to smoke.

Western North Carolina is still recovering from Hurricane Helene's September impact, which damaged Interstate 40's eastbound lanes and affected 5,000 miles (8,046 kilometers) of state roads and 7,000 private roads.
Simultaneously, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is managing a

Wharton State Forest fire

that began Saturday, consuming 2.7 square miles (7 square kilometers) by early Sunday. Firefighters have contained approximately half the blaze, as reported at 8 a.m. on their Facebook page.
Officials evacuated two campgrounds. While 18 buildings were near the fire, the flames moved away from structures, avoiding residential evacuations. The fire's cause remains under investigation.

Wildfires burn over 4,000 acres in North Carolina

Two major wildfires in Polk County, North Carolina, expanded significantly on Sunday, with both exceeding 2,000 acres and remaining uncontrolled.
The North Carolina Forest Service identified four active fires in the county by Sunday evening.
The two largest fires - Black Cove, which expanded to 2,076 acres, and Deep Wood, reaching 2,545 acres - remained completely uncontained.
These fires were affecting timber areas across challenging steep terrain, spanning both state-owned and private properties within the Green River Gorge, according to the state's department of agriculture and consumer services.
Approximately 250 firefighting staff from North Carolina and neighbouring states were actively working to protect residential areas and buildings from the advancing fires, as reported by the department.

South Carolina declares emergency

In South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster declared an emergency on Saturday to combat the Table Rock Fire in Pickens County, which began in the Blue Ridge Mountains region.
McMaster stated, "As this wildfire continues to spread, the State of Emergency allows us to mobilise resources quickly and ensure our firefighters have the support they need to protect lives and property," supporting Friday's statewide burning ban.

Officials requested voluntary evacuations near Table Rock Mountain on Saturday. The Pickens County Sheriff's Office suspended operations Saturday evening, planning to resume Sunday with ground crews, helicopters, and air tankers. The 110-acre (45 hectares) fire prompted authorities to request avoiding state Highway 11.