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McDowell County residents back home after wildfire forced evacuation

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OLD FORT, N.C. — McDowell County residents are back home Thursday morning after a wildfire forced an evacuation the day before.

The fire burned 250 acres in the Crooked Creek community near Bat Cave Road south of Old Fort.

Thursday evening McDowell County Emergency Management announced the fire was 100% contained.

The fires began after a tree fell on a power line near the 3000 block of Bat Cave Road.

The evacuation order was lifted at 8 a.m., McDowell County Emergency Management officials said. Winds were substantially calmer than the day before.

The fire, driven by strong winds, approached the backyard of resident Pam Rice, who captured the scene on her cellphone as fire trucks lined her driveway. Local fire departments, along with the N.C. Forest Service, responded to the emergency, facing challenges from storm debris left by Helene.

“There’s lots of people that have been worried to death. I have coworkers who live out here who evacuated. It’s been really scary,” said Pam Rice, a resident whose home was near the fire.

Bo Dossett from the Forest Service noted, “We are seeing large volumes of fuel like dead branches, leaf litter, downed trees. All that stuff is available.”

Troy Pack, whose grandsons were involved in firefighting efforts, remarked, “They were very important. I mean they done a fantastic job. I don’t know how many were in here 50 all-together. They were still here at one o’clock this morning.”

The Forest Service employed backfires to create containment lines, and by the afternoon, blackened ground could be seen along the roadway.

The coordinated efforts of local and state firefighting teams helped prevent further damage, as residents expressed relief and gratitude for the swift response.

An emergency shelter opened at First Baptist Church in Old Fort on East Main Street to accommodate evacuees.

On Wednesday, Channel 9 spoke with evacuees Christian Hawotte and Ceara Carmack as they checked into the shelter. Carmack said they didn’t hesitate to leave their home.

“After the hurricane, everybody not being able to find each other and the signal being out, the first thing I thought was, our people, our friends, our family are gonna be here,” Carmack elaborated.

Both said they didn’t have time to grab much from their home but could see the fire.

“We are kind of on an elevated hill; it’s right in front of us,” Hawotte explained. “Just thick, black smoke everywhere. The fire is jumping across roads; it’s spreading rapidly.”

There were no reported injuries or deaths.

Officials closed Bat Cave Road to through traffic and vehicles were being detoured onto Pine Cove Road. Drivers were advised to use caution and seek alternate routes.

Lloyd Davis, has lived there much of his life.

“This house wouldn’t have been standing if not for the Dysartsville Fire Department and all these other groups,” Davis said. “They’ve done a wonderful job here.”

A viewer shared a video of the fire spreading around several homes three miles south of Old Fort. In the North Carolina mountains, gusts topped 60 mph causing hundreds of outages in Ashe County.

Marion wildfire

Another wildfire was sparked along 80 Watson Place on Highway 221 North in Marion on Wednesday.

Officials said Wednesday to halt any outdoor burning because of the dry, windy conditions.

On Thursday officials announced that the fire had grown to 200 acres and was only 20% contained.

No structures are threatened at this time, and no evacuations are in place. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

To receive McDowell County emergency alerts text 28752 to 888777.

No additional details have been made available.

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.


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