CHARLOTTE, NC — Governor Pat McCrory announced Wednesday that he will be expanding the State of Emergency for the western North Carolina wildfires to 22 additional counties.
McCrory released the following statement in a news release sent out this afternoon:
“As we approach Thanksgiving, I am especially thankful for the firefighters, first responders and volunteers who have sacrificed so much to help save lives and protect property in North Carolina,” Governor McCrory said. “This designation will help ensure counties threatened by wildfires and our emergency responders will have the tools needed to fight the most serious and dangerous fires we have experienced in North Carolina in decades.”
The 22 counties that have been added to the State of Emergency declaration include Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Cabarrus, Caswell, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Randolph, Richmond, Rockingham, Rowan, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Union, Wilkes and Yadkin.
The 25 counties that were already under a State of Emergency included Alexander, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga and Yancey counties.
McCrory emphasized safety, structure protection, containment, controlling costs and mitigating air quality, and environmental and economic concerns in relation to the wildfires that continue to burn in western North Carolina.
According to the release, nearly 3,000 personnel from across the state and country are actively fighting the fires that have now burned over 69,000 acres. The release also says that only two structures have been destroyed out of nearly 2,300 that have been threatened. Damages are currently estimated to be around $30 million.
Governor McCrory also reminds the public that an up to $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for starting the fires.
