Rain near Western North Carolina mountains expected to help firefighters combat wildfires

Rainfall on Sunday helped North Carolina firefighters keep control of a trio of wildfires that have now burned 7,672 acres in Western North Carolina, the N.C. Forest Service said.

Additional rain and thunderstorms Monday are expected to help further.

“Fire crews worked Sunday to extinguish hot spots within containment lines,” the N.C. Forest Service said in a press release. “Monday’s operational period will focus on patrolling for any remaining hot spots for mop up, and repairing areas of the heaviest impact to protect waterways and other natural resources.”

For over a week, firefighters have been battling wildfires in Western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. Mandatory evacuations have been issued for several areas and Gov. Josh Stein issued a state of emergency.

There have been no deaths. A firefighter was injured last week and taken to a hospital for treatment. The fires have destroyed 22 structures and 18 roads have been closed in North Carolina.

N.C. Forest Services gives update

Firefighters have contained 100% of the smallest of the three “Black Cove Complex” fires, known as the Fish Hook Fire, the N.C. Forest Service said in an update Monday morning. That fire burned 199 acres.

Firefighters have also contained 32% of the largest fire, the Deep Woods fire, which has burned 3,971 acres, and 36% of the Black Cove fire, which has burned 3,502 acres. The N.C. Forest Service tracks containment and acres burned on its website.

While the cause of the Deep Woods fire is still under investigation, the cause of the Black Cove and Fish Hook fires were powerlines, the forest service said.

In total, 45 fire engines and 375 personnel have been sent to the Black Cove Complex wildfires.

In Swain County, firefighters have contained 18% of the Alarka 5 fire, which has burned 1,390 acres as of Monday afternoon. The Rattlesnake Branch Fire in Haywood County has burned 1,865 acres, the N.C. Forest Service said. Firefighters have contained 21% of that fire.

Rain helps SC firefighters

The rain also helped firefighters battling the Table Rock Complex fire in South Carolina, Mike Brod, an operations section chief trainee at the South Carolina Forestry Commission, said in a video Monday morning.

“The fires have not grown over the last 24 hours,” Brod said.

The South Carolina Forestry Commission, which tracks wildfires on its website, said 30% of the Table Rock Complex fire, located in Pickens County, has been contained. That fire has burned 12,592 acres.

Just across county lines, in Greenville County, firefighters had contained 64% of the Persimmon Ridge Complex fire, which has burned 2,078 acres.

He said efforts to control the Persimmon Ridge fire are “looking really good.”

Wildfire updates

North Carolina is under a statewide burn ban. A state of emergency was declared Wednesday for 34 Western North Carolina counties.

Evacuations on Saturday were “constantly being assessed based on fire activity,” according to the 6:30 p.m. Fire Service update.

For Polk County updates, including current evacuation notices, visit the county website. For Henderson County updates, visit the county’s website.

To check wildfire activity across the state, use the North Carolina Forest Service wildfire public viewer at https://ncfspublic.firesponse.com/.

Reporter Joe Marusak contributed to this story

This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 3:09 PM.