Amid staffing shortages at N.C. Forest Service, inmate firefighters in a state program are battling more WNC wildfires.

The size and scale of these fires is rare outside of the Western United States, according to Ryan Searcy, the N.C. Forest Service's Polk County Ranger. “Helene is going to affect wildfires in Western ...

A ban on all open burning in North Carolina will be lifted as of 8 a.m. Wednesday, April 2. A statewide ban went into effect ...

BPR spoke with three Forest Service employees who worked on wildfires throughout the WNC communities they call home.

Crews will continue mop-up operations across the Black Cove Complex on Thursday, April 3. Firefighters will focus on ...

Firefighters continue to make steady progress on the Black Cove Complex fires as cold and wet conditions moved back into the area Wednesday. Precipitation has played a key role in helping firefighters ...

Mandatory evacuation orders remain in place as crews continue working to contain three wildfires in Polk County. Three fires in the western North Carolina county south of Asheville have burned more ...

Legalcategory· March 5, 2025 Los Angeles County, Pasadena, sue Southern California Edison over wildfires The County of Los Angeles and City of Pasadena, along with other public entities ...