Forest Service warns of increased wildfire activity in November after Helen’s fall

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — The North Carolina Forest Service says there is a higher than normal chance of increased wildfire activity in November, especially in western North Carolina.

Road damage, unstable soil and downed trees are complicating the response, making it difficult for first responders to access wildfires, increasing the likelihood of large wildfires in the hardest-hit areas, according to a Facebook post from the North Carolina Forest Service.

FOREST SERVICE: 822,000 ACRES WORTH $214 MILLION TIMBERLAND DAMAGED BY HELENA

The report also said the amount of fuel on the ground after the Helen event is “excessive,” meaning small-diameter fuel and leaf litter dry out quickly, creating another potential cause of wildfires.

Debris burning is expected to increase and human-caused fires are likely to increase,” the North Carolina Forest Service wrote in a release. “Exercising caution and safety when dealing with any outdoor fire is critical.

The post also included reports from the National Interagency Fire Center National Forecast (NIFCNO) on damage to the Helen region of WNC.

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY REOPENS AN ADDITIONAL SIX MILES NEAR NC ROUTES 151 AND 276

Included information from NIFCNO is below:

• Tree destruction from Hurricane Helen’s 80-100+ mph wind gusts will have long-term impacts on fire environments extending from landfall along Florida’s Big Bend through southern and eastern Georgia, western Carolina, and small portions of the southwest. western Virginia, southeastern Kentucky. and northeast Tennessee.
• This damage appears to be most concentrated along the southeastern ridges and mountain gorges. Smaller fuels and leaf litter dry out quickly in these areas, weather permitting, and recently fallen trees may not be sufficiently cured to burn until the following year.
• Washed out roads and trails, slope destabilization, and large areas of fallen trees are expected to lead to safety concerns and difficulty accessing some fire sites during the forecast period.
• This alone could increase the likelihood of severe fires in the hardest-hit areas.
• Burning waste will also become commonplace, increasing the risk of man-made fires in the coming months, especially during long periods of low rainfall, abundant sunshine and poor recovery of relative humidity at night.

Information on prevention tips and best practices can be found here. website.