State officials are expecting a more active wildfire season this fall due to the remaining debris left by Helene. The news comes as the region marks the one-year anniversary of the storm.
Philip Jackson, with the N.C. Forest Service, says the agency didn’t begin to see the storm’s impact on wildfire activity until January, when downed trees dried out and became fuel. He says the storm both extended the fire season and drove up wildfire numbers — over 1,000 more this spring compared to last — and the effects are likely to linger.
“And the longer we go from Hurricane Helene, we'll continue to see those elevated fire risks in Western North Carolina," he says. "This isn't going to be a one or two-year ordeal. It's probably going to be, probably for the next decade.”
Jackson noted the agency has used Helene relief funding to support firefighting efforts.
He says residents can reduce risk by clearing leaves and pine needles from gutters, trimming back trees near homes and storing away any outdoor items that could catch embers.