'You could be killed if...': Ominous wildfires warning in North Carolina

The public safety department said a shelter had been established in Columbus, North Carolina.

Published on: Mar 23, 2025, 20:55:01 IST

By HT News Desk

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The North Carolina Department of Public Safety has ordered a mandatory evacuation for the residents of Polk County in western North Carolina as wildfires threatened the area. South Carolina's governor has also declared an emergency in response to a growing wildfire.

A home charred in the wildfire in the US. (AP representational photo)

The agency, in a notice on social media, warned the residents to leave immediately to avoid getting injured or killed.

"Visibility in the area will be reduced and roads/evacuation routes can become blocked; if you do not leave now, you could be trapped, injured, or killed,” the agency said in the social media post.

The public safety department said a shelter had been established in Columbus, North Carolina.

The North Carolina Forest Service's online wildfire public viewer shows three active fires threatening Polk County, with the two largest spanning between 1.7 square miles (4.4 square kilometres) to 1.9 square miles (4.9 square kilometres), reported AP.

Also read: Wildfires rage in Texas, Florida, forcing evacuations and road closures

South Carolina governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Saturday as part of an effort to stop a blaze in Pickens County called the Table Rock Fire that started the previous day.

“As this wildfire continues to spread, the State of Emergency allows us to mobilize resources quickly and ensure our firefighters have the support they need to protect lives and property,” McMaster said in a statement.

Also read: Mandatory evacuation ordered in North, South Carolina over raging wildfires weeks after California blazes

The Pickens County Sheriff's Office said firefighters would resume operation on Sunday using helicopters and air tankers. The fire was about 110 acres (45 hectares).

Also read: What triggered California wildfires? Investigators probe many possibilities

The wildfires came months after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in North Carolina, damaging or impacting 5,000 miles (8,046 kilometers) of state-maintained roads and 7,000 private roads, bridges and culverts.

This came weeks after wildfires destroyed thousands of buildings in California.

With AP inputs

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HT News Desk
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