2025 North Carolina wildfires

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2025 North Carolina wildfires
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The 2025 North Carolina wildfires are a series of active wildfires currently ongoing in North Carolina.

Contents

Background

North Carolina Drought Monitor at its peak on February 4, 2025 2025 North Carolina Drought Monitor.png
North Carolina Drought Monitor at its peak on February 4, 2025

Spring wildfire season

As temperatures rise between mid-March and mid-April, surface fuels dry out more easily. Pre-green-up vegetation and occasional gusty winds create conditions favorable for ignition—even from lightning or human activity. Scattered convective rainfall contributes to unpredictable dry pockets that increase fire risk. [1]

Fall wildfire season

In late September through October, temperatures remain warm and humidity drops. Once leaves fall, the forest floor accumulates flammable debris, and cool-season frontal winds can trigger rapid fire spread. Fall fires are generally less frequent than spring fires but can escalate under dry or windy conditions. [2]

Hurricane aftermath—particularly debris left behind—has compounded fire danger. In 2025, Hurricane Helene’s downed trees and low humidity contributed to multiple early-season fires, including the Black Cove Fire near Asheville. Hundreds of wildfires were ignited, underscoring increased risk due to debris accumulation and development in fire-prone areas. [3]

Annual fire statistics

Since the late 20th century, North Carolina has averaged over 5,000 wildfires annually, with recent years like 2023 recording 5,101 fires burning nearly 18,748 acres. [4]

Human causes and public safety response

The leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina is careless debris burning, accounting for nearly all incidents. As fall fire season approaches, the North Carolina Forest Service emphasizes caution when burning yard debris and provides public fire-safety guidance and programs like Firewise USA. [5] [6]

Summary

North Carolina’s 2025 wildfire season has seen significant activity, especially in the western mountain region, spurred in part by lingering storm debris and unusually dry conditions. In early spring, multiple fires ignited across Polk and Henderson counties—among them the Black Cove, Deep Woods, and Fish Hook fires. These fires collectively burned several thousand acres before being fully contained. [7] [8]

By late April, the scale of fires and the number of ignitions prompted Governor Josh Stein to extend a State of Emergency across 34 counties in western North Carolina. [9]

Dry fuels, steep mountainous terrain, and scattered blowdown from Hurricane Helene have complicated suppression efforts and increased fire risk. [10]

Smoke from these fires triggered air quality alerts in adjacent counties, especially during inversion days and low wind events. Evacuations were ordered in several rural and mountain neighborhoods. [11]

Because the 2025 wildfire season in North Carolina remains active, additional ignitions and fire growth are possible, especially into the late spring and early summer months when fuels dry further and weather conditions (heat, wind, low humidity) become more favorable.

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.

NameCountyAcresStart dateContainment date [a] Notes/Ref.
Black Cove Polk 3,502March 19
April 10
 [13]
Deep Woods Polk 3,969March 19
April 10
2 residences reported to be destroyed. [14]
Alarka #5 Swain 1,575March 25
April 8
 [15]
Rattlesnake Branch Haywood 1,858March 26
April 10
 [16]
Haoe Lead Graham 3,103April 12May 5 [17]
Bee Rock Creek McDowell 2,085April 15
April 24
 [18]
Sunset Road Brunswick 1,331May 2June 16 [19]
2025 North Carolina wildfires
Perimeters of wildfires in North Carolina during 2025 (Red: >1000 acres) (map data)

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out. [12]

References

  1. ↑ "Fire Climatology – Fire". North Carolina State Climate Office. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Fire Climatology – Fire". North Carolina State Climate Office. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Here's where Americans are increasingly at risk for wildfires". Washington Post. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  4. ↑ "N.C. Forest Service - Wildfire Statistics". North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  5. ↑ "North Carolina Wildfire Threat Profile". North Carolina Emergency Response Guide. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Caution increasingly needed as fall wildfire season arrives". Coastal Review. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Wildfire Map Spotlight: Polk County, North Carolina" . Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Three wildfires burn more than 3,300 acres in North and South Carolina" . Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Governor Josh Stein Extends State of Emergency for Western North Carolina Wildfires" . Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Wildfires in North and South Carolina fueled by drought, wind and fallen trees from Hurricane Helene" . Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Three wildfires burn more than 3,300 acres in North and South Carolina" . Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  12. ↑ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  13. ↑ Oklahoman, The. "Black Cove - Wildfire and Smoke Map". The Oklahoman. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  14. ↑ Oklahoman, The. "DEEP WOODS - Wildfire and Smoke Map". The Oklahoman. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  15. ↑ Newspapers, Treasure Coast. "ALARKA #5 - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  16. ↑ Oklahoman, The. "Rattlesnake Branch - Wildfire and Smoke Map". The Oklahoman. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  17. ↑ Oklahoman, The. "HAOE LEAD - Wildfire and Smoke Map". The Oklahoman. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  18. ↑ Oklahoman, The. "Bee Rock Creek - Wildfire and Smoke Map". The Oklahoman. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  19. ↑ Oklahoman, The. "Sunset RD - Wildfire and Smoke Map". The Oklahoman. Retrieved May 5, 2025.


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