Governor Josh Stein declared a State of Emergency in response to the wildfires currently burning in western North Carolina. This declaration is aimed at enhancing the state’s capacity to manage and respond to the dangerous fires. Residents across North Carolina are advised to stay informed about the fire situation and to pay close attention to local emergency and evacuation alerts.
“The wildfires occurring in the western region of North Carolina continue to grow, so I have expanded the State of Emergency declaration to more regions,” stated Governor Josh Stein. “Our State Emergency Response Team is actively responding and utilizing all available resources. We urge the public to remain safe and alert concerning evacuation orders, should the fires approach areas near their homes.”
Since the latter part of last week, the State Emergency Response Team has been providing resources and personnel assistance to affected counties. The North Carolina Division of Emergency Management (NCEM) has deployed communication resources, emergency tactical operators, and incident management personnel to the impacted areas. The North Carolina Forest Service is lending support with incident management and firefighting efforts, while the North Carolina State Fire Marshal’s Office has dispatched firefighters from across the state to assist in western North Carolina.
The current State of Emergency includes the following counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey, as well as tribal lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians within North Carolina.
Residents are encouraged to keep up with evacuation order announcements through local government websites and social media. Additionally, enabling emergency alert messages on mobile phones is crucial for staying informed. To track current fires across the state and for family emergency preparedness information, visit the NC Ready website.
The full Executive Order No. 12 is available in Spanish for further reference.
