MCDOWELL COUNTY, N.C. — A wildfire in McDowell County has burned more than 1,000 acres, emergency officials announced on Saturday.
McDowell County Emergency Management said only 27% of the fire was contained.
It forced evacuations this week and was burning in one of the hardest-hit areas from Hurricane Helene last September. Channel 9’s Dave Faherty was in McDowell County Friday, where firefighters from across the country had arrived to help.
Those firefighters mopped up along Armstrong Creek Road, extinguishing hotspots to secure containment lines. Helicopters also dropped water to slow fire growth in support of the firefighters working on the ground.
Faherty also spoke with one firefighter from Montana who’s from the U.S. Forest Service. The North Carolina Forest Service, along with local firefighters, are also helping.
When Faherty drove through Marion, he said he could see smoke off in the distance, as well as trees down and landslides from Helene.
He also spoke with a homeowner who said he saw flames outside his window and that firefighters had to cut a firebreak around his home.
“Let me tell you that for you and me to put the same fire lane in would take a couple of weeks. And we’re not going to be able to physically be able to do it,” said resident Bill Swayne.
Another resident said the winds also picked up Friday afternoon, which allowed the fire to spread.
McDowell County Emergency Management has issued an evacuation order for all residences on Wild Acres Road off of NC 226.
A temporary flight restriction for drones, as well as aircraft, has also been set in place over the fire area each day from 10 a.m. to midnight.
Firefighters said they plan on building containment lines along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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