HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. — Residents in parts of Henderson County are being urged to evacuate voluntarily as nearby wildfires continue to spread in Polk County, local officials announced Sunday.
Henderson County Emergency Management issued the advisory for residents living along Laurel Mountain View Road and Boulder View Road, citing potential danger from the advancing fires. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office shared the evacuation notice on its social media platforms, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Key Points
- Henderson County officials urge voluntary evacuations in two areas due to Polk County wildfires.
- Laurel Mountain View Road and Boulder View Road residents are affected.
- The region is still recovering from Hurricane Helene’s recent impact.
“ATTENTION-VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS RECOMMENDED,” the post read. “Henderson County Emergency Management is recommending Voluntary Evacuations of residents in the Laurel Mountain View Road and Boulder View Road areas of the County due to the wildfires in Polk County.”
Authorities did not indicate that homes were currently threatened but emphasized the precautionary nature of the recommendation. No mandatory evacuation orders have been issued at this time.
BLACK COVE FIRE:
The Black Cove Fire was first reported Wednesday, March 19 and was last mapped at 2,076 acres in size. The fire is burning on state-owned and private land in the Green River Gorge, approximately 2 miles northeast of Saluda. The fire is burning in timber on steep terrain and is currently 0% contained. To prevent the fire from spreading into neighborhoods and inhabited areas to the west of the fire, firefighting personnel are constructing control lines on both sides of the river. Current evacuation orders issued for residents include:
- Green River Cove Road addresses from 1091 to 1528
- Lady Slipper Trail
- Big Hungry Road
- Spurgeon Cove Lane
- English Heifer Cove Road
- Deer Trail
- Scarlets Mountain Road
The county is still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Helene, which left infrastructure weakened and heightened concerns about safety amid natural disasters. Officials did not provide a timeline for how long the voluntary evacuations may be advised.
As of Sunday morning, no injuries or property damage had been reported in Henderson County due to the fires.
Wildfire conditions in Polk County continue to be monitored by state and local agencies.