Debris from Hurricane Helene provides fuel, complicates containment for spring wildfires

A wildfire burning in McDowell County has grown to 856 acres as emergency crews from across the country work to contain flames in rugged, storm-damaged terrain near the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Bee Rock Creek Fire remains 10% contained as of Friday, according to fire officials. The fire, which began Tuesday, is burning through steep mountain slopes covered in downed trees and debris left behind by Hurricane Helene. Officials say that damage is making wildfires more dangerous and more difficult to fight.

“Hurricane Helene right now is pretty much our Achilles’ heel,” said Philip Jackson with the North Carolina Forest Service. “In some cases, we have entire mountainsides that have been completely blown down. All of that fuel is working in favor of wildfires. It’s fresh fuel for the fire to consume.”

More 180 firefighters are working the Bee Rock Creek Fire, including crews from Montana and Oregon. Helicopters are also being used to drop water to support containment efforts on the ground.

Evacuation orders remain in effect for Wild Acres Road. Officials said five structures are currently under threat, but they do not expect the evacuation zone to expand.

Jackson said dense debris left behind by Helene is making it difficult for crews to reach the fire and build control lines.

“We try to cut through it with chainsaws and heavy equipment, but if we can’t, we have to go around it, which slows the response down,” he said. “Some of the roads we used to use to access fire lines are washed out or just gone.”

The fire’s location in steep, remote areas poses additional challenges. With heavy equipment limited by the terrain, crews are relying more on hand tools and manual labor to clear access paths.

The state has seen multiple wildfires this season in Henderson, Polk and McDowell counties. Many of them are burning in areas that were hardest hit by storm damage.

While wildfires are intensifying, staffing remains a concern. Jackson said the North Carolina Forest Service has roughly 100 unfilled positions, including county rangers and wildfire response crews. Many counties, including McDowell County, have only one responder or none at all.

“It’s not efficient. It’s not sustainable,” Jackson said. “We’re robbing Peter to pay Paul, pulling folks from one county to cover another.”

Jackson also said most wildfires in the state are caused by human activity, typically debris burning or sparks from equipment. Even a smoldering pile that appears extinguished can reignite days or weeks later in dry, windy conditions.

“When the fuels are very receptive, dry, windy days and low relative humidity levels, it literally only takes a heat source for you to have a wildfire,” he said. “And mostly here, what we see is just debris burn in the form of carelessness.”

Officials are urging residents to use extreme caution and avoid outdoor burning.