Firefighters, residents brace for potential merger of Black Cove and Deep Woods fires

By Kimberly King

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    POLK COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — The North Carolina State Fire Marshal is asking for help from fire departments nationwide to come to Polk County and help fight the wildfires.

The call comes as the two largest fires in North Carolina Game Lands grow to nearly 6,000 acres combined.

The two fires Black Cove at 3,046 acres and Deep Woods at 2,923 acres are moving closer to one another in Polk County. NC Forest Service spokesman EJ Dwigans said there’s a strong likelihood the two fires will meet and develop one huge perimeter line.

“These two fires could possibly converge this week,” said Dwigans. “We have updated maps we’re going to have at our community meeting tonight. Everyone is going to tell you we need more resources on this fire. The winds are extremely high, and that’s what folks are dealing with in the field right now.”

Dwigans said the fires including the one near Lake Adger now have 280 firefighters working the lines as well as working to manage the entire response. He expects more crews to come this week.

Dwigans said the focus is to get containment. In the area of the Black Cove fire, there are residential communities that are on the Henderson County side along the border of Polk County.

A neighborhood that has at least 20 homes is on Macedonia Road and Knight Road. There are gravel roads that head down to the Green River and a section of the river called Narrows of the Green which is a popular area for experienced kayakers.

The area near the Green River was decimated by Helene six months ago. Now the area is facing uncertainty around the forest fires.

Ross Arrington rents a home on Knight Road. He’s lived in the wooded peaceful community for two years but since last week, he has concerns as he watches the flames at night several miles away.

He can see the smoke during the day and the flames at night. Arrington was in the “get ready” area of the evacuation levels map. Now, as of 9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25, Knight Road is part of the mandatory evacuation in Henderson County.

“I talked to[the] fire marshal yesterday,” said Arrington. “He said be ready to go within a 30-minute to 1-hour window. I have a go-back packed and ready to go.”

Arrington moved his most important personal belongings to his father’s house several days ago.

Junior Honeycutt is the Fire Chief from the Bakers fire department which he said is a community outside Charlotte.

Honeycutt said Helene brought down so many trees, so the concern now, and for many years to come, is the increased chance of wildfires because of tree debris during dry and humid weather.

“This is just the beginning I would expect,” said Honeycutt. “This fall could be worse. All these fire departments around here and the U.S. Forest Service and N.C. Forest Service, they know help’s just a phone call away.”

Honeycutt brought a crew from Bakers and two trucks equipped with water and a foam mixture he said helps keep water on the wood when it gets sprayed down.

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