Forecasters are warning residents of the wildfire-stricken Carolinas about continuous fire danger through the weekend as temperatures in the area rebound.
More of the warm, windy, and arid conditions that helped jumpstart multiple blazes scorching more than 12,000 acres were expected through Saturday.
“Despite lighter winds today, Increased Fire Danger remains across the area with very low relative humidity values. Smoke will also be a concern downwind from the fires in the mountains,” the National Weather Service’s Greenville-Spartanburg office cautioned. “Fire danger concerns continue Friday and possibly Saturday.”
The Wilmington, North Carolina, office said residents should brace for warmer weather on Friday.
Forecasters’ advice comes following an active few days that saw explosive wildfire growth in both states and mandatory evacuation orders in Pickens County, South Carolina, due to the Table Rock fire.
The human-caused wildfire jumped from more than 2,000 acres on Monday to approximately 4,500 by Thursday morning.
It was moving in the direction of the states’ border, according to the N.C. Forest Service, and had forced road closures.
“There is an air quality alert in our region due to fine particles from smoke. Wind and dry conditions are fueling flames,” the City of Greenville said.
The Persimmon Ridge fire also grew to more than 1,550 acres, jumping over a highway, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Both of those fires remain uncontained.
In neighboring North Carolina, the Black Cove Complex – which includes three different wildfires – has also grown.
Officials said that the Black Cove fire was more than 3,000 acres, the Deep Woods fire had scorched more than 3,200, and the Fish Hook fire was close to 200 acres. The Fish Hook fire has also led to evacuations. All three had varying levels of containment.
The Rattlesnake Branch Fire, which started Wednesday in Cruso, North Carolina, grew to between 400 and 500 acres. It is 0 percent contained.
In response to the growth, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein broadened a state of emergency, which includes 35 counties and tribal lands that are home to the sovereign nation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. One of those counties was Hurricane-Helene-ravaged Buncombe, where debris is still a concern.
“You have thousands of trees that are just lying in the forest that have been drying up over the last couple of months, and it’s a tinderbox,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “These are hard areas to access. That’s what made it so challenging with Helene and the response efforts, and they’re still trying to rebuild. Now, they have a second natural disaster pretty much on their hands.”
Burning is banned in both states.
South Carolina, which previously declared a state of emergency for the Table Rock fire, has deployed its National Guard.
“As of March 26, our aircraft have completed 410 water drops, delivering a total of 375,040 (over half an Olympic size swimming pool) gallons of water over 39 flight hours,” the South Carolina National Guard said in a Thursday social media post.