‘Going to get better’: Supplies arriving for tiny NC mountain towns

FAIRVIEW, N.C. — Helene sent homes into trees, washed roads away, and left businesses with nothing. Still, many are finding reasons for hope.

On Tuesday, Channel 9′s Evan Donovan trekked into the Fairview community southeast of Asheville. Along Cane Creek Road, it was clear how high the water from Cane Creek had risen, surpassing barriers that were in place on Tuesday.

SPECIAL SECTION: Tropical Storm Helene

Among the debris left behind were a propane tank in the water, a truck, and a shipping container — and that was just one part of the creek.

Guy Hartman is a Charlotte native who said he’s worked disaster recovery for multiple hurricanes. He’s lived in the mountains since 1989.

“I’ve seen a lot of real bad damage,” he told Donovan.

He said some of the devastation from Helene rivals Katrina.

“Just to see the amount of water — I mean it’s 30 to 35 feet, and the riverbed washed out cars, trucks, houses,” Hartman said.

Low-lying areas of Fairview were demolished. Donovan saw parts of homes in the tree line. The creek itself cut a new path in some places, leaving parts of Cane Creek Road falling apart.

Donovan saw fridges in the water and massive trees that had been uprooted and carried by floodwaters to the middle of a field.

‘Wiped out’: Hundreds left homeless after historic flooding in Asheville

“My house ain’t too bad, but this got bad and ruined our whole business,” said Dallas Ingle, who works for Lytle Construction.

Ingle said the creek wiped out their equipment.

“Yeah, all of our tools and stuff we use in the basement is gone,” he said.

Lytle’s co-owner also runs Rust & Found, an antique shop in Fairview. The water line at the store is at least 5 feet high, and many of the items are now trash.

Donovan saw people waiting in gas lines who said they’d been waiting 30 to 45 minutes.

Many in Fairview are encouraged that supplies are coming in, both through official channels and by way of volunteers. Donovan even saw some military helicopters flying in and out at one point, ticking over into a new phase in helping people recover.

“It grabbed me. Help’s here!” Hartman said. “Knowing that’s how things are going to get better. And they are.”

(WATCH BELOW: Chopper 9 flies over Helene’s damage in Charlotte, western NC)