Wildfires batter air quality in Carolinas as flames continue to spread near areas devastated by Helene

Fires burning in areas hit by Helene flooding

Although it will remain dry on Thursday, the fire threat will not be as great as it was Wednesday, as high pressure moves in overhead and causes the winds to diminish.

POLK COUNTY, N.C. – The destructive wildfires tearing through North Carolina and South Carolina are fouling air quality while firefighters face significant challenges from Hurricane Helene's lingering devastation, officials revealed, calling the situation "an absolute travesty."

Adding to fire-related concerns in the region, South Carolina continues to address the large Table Rock and Persimmon Ridge fires burning over 6,100 acres. The wildfires have prompted Gov. Henry McMaster to issue a state of emergency.

On Wednesday, the South Carolina Forestry Commission said that another day of extreme fire behavior in both incidents in Greenville and Pickens counties, South Carolina, prompted a new round of evacuations and led to a second-straight day of rapid expansion.

Although it will remain dry on Thursday, the fire threat across the Carolinas will not be as great as it was Wednesday, as high pressure moves in overhead and causes the winds to diminish.

Footage posted by Greenville Water shows the scene at Table Rock Reservoir in South Carolina.

(Greenville Water)

Unhealthy air quality begins to spread across wildfire region

Along with increasing evacuations, degrading air quality has become an growing concern for the region as wildfire smoke expands. There are now at least seven areas of wildfire smoke impacting North Carolina air quality, officials said. 

Air quality in Asheville and Flat Rock in North Carolina dropped into the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category Thursday. Video from Asheville showed the smoky haze filling the skies. Greenville and Spartanburg in South Carolina are only faring a little better.

Smoky skies over Asheville, NC

Hazy skies covered Asheville, N.C. as wildfires raged nearby in western North Carolina.

"The fire detect signature with (the Table Rock) fire continues to expand. An expansive smoke plume from this wildfire remains intense across eastern Transylvania and most of Henderson County," says North Carolina's Department of Environmental Quality. "Heavier smoke has also built into southern Buncombe County… This is by far the most intense fire and smoke currently on satellite and current estimates are that the fire has grown to over 4,500 acres and remains at 0% containment."

The agency continued: "If smoke continues to be produced at the same intensity as (Thursday), the risk of health effects is increased for everyone in these locations and appropriate actions to limit exposure should be taken."

The National Weather Service has issued Air Quality Alerts for the region through at least Thursday night. 

'It is an absolute travesty that it's happened'

Helene swept through the region six months ago, in late September, leaving behind a trail of destruction that is now proving to be a major obstacle in containing the blazes that have consumed nearly 15,000 acres in the Carolinas.

Wildfire smoke, captured by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the NOAA/NASA Suomi-NPP satellite on March 23, 2025, is visible over parts of North Carolina and South Carolina. The image shows plumes of smoke billowing northeast and red data points indicating active fires.

(Joint Polar Satellite System - JPSS)

As evacuation orders remain in place for several neighborhoods, the stark reality of the intertwined disasters is becoming increasingly clear, North Carolina Forest Service Supervisor Nicholas Hoffmann said.

EVACUATIONS EXPAND IN CAROLINAS AS WILDFIRES RAGE IN HURRICANE HELENE-RAVAGED AREAS

A "Home Sweet Home" sign is seen outside a home that was destroyed by a fire on March 23, 2025, in Columbus, North Carolina.

(Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

"It is an absolute travesty that it's happened," he emphasized. "And the Helene damage is actually one of the biggest contributing factors to the difficulty in fighting this fire because of all the damage, the landslides, the lack of access that it has created … in addition to the steep, steep terrain and the high winds we're having right now."

Fire officials are now grappling with a two-layered crisis as North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein broadened his state of emergency Wednesday evening as officials respond to the wildfires in the western region.

FOX Weather meteorologists and correspondents spent weeks on the ground in North Carolina following Helene, and their reports painted a stark picture of the sheer volume of fallen trees and debris that would dry out and become potent fuel, increasing the fire risk.

05:45

See how Helene's survivors are coping with the aftermath of the deadly hurricane

FOX Weather's Robert Ray traveled to North Carolina where residents have described apocalyptic scenes of destruction.

"You have thousands of trees that are just lying in the forest that have been drying up over the last couple of months, and it's a tinderbox," FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. "These are hard areas to access. That's what made it so challenging with Helene and the response efforts, and they're still trying to rebuild. Now, they have a second natural disaster pretty much on their hands."

The Deep Woods Fire is seen on March 23, 2025, in Columbus, North Carolina.

(Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

The destructive power of wildfires in Polk County, North Carolina, has become evident after more than a dozen homes and outbuildings were destroyed on Tuesday.

Officials report that the Black Cove Fire, which was started by a downed power line, has burned over 3,200 acres. The nearby Deep Woods Fire has consumed over 3,370 acres. Both fires have little containment. The smaller Fish Hook Fire is partially contained, but the situation led to the evacuation of 165 homes.

On Thursday, Polk County emergency management lifted the evacuation order for the Piney Gate area.

"For those returning, we understand that this has been a stressful and emotionally challenging experience. Please take things one step at a time. As you assess your home, remember to take photos and document any damage—this will be important for your insurance claims and recovery process. Your first step should be contacting your insurance company to begin the process of rebuilding," a post on the Polk County government's Facebook page read.

NEW WILDFIRE NEARLY TRAPS DEPUTIES SEARCHING FOR HIKER MISSING WEEKS IN SOUTH CAROLINA WILDERNESS

Smoke billows from Polk County, NC, wildfire as evacuations ordered

Smoke from the Black Cove Fire in Polk County, North Carolina, was seen wafting skyward on Sunday. This video, shared to X by Grant Finch, captures the massive smoke cloud as seen from Peter Guice Bridge.

Simultaneously, South Carolina also issued evacuation orders in Greenville and Pickens counties due to the Persimmon Ridge Fire, which is part of the larger Table Rock Fire Complex. On Wednesday, those evacuations were expanded to residents of Oil Camp Creek Road east to River Falls Road and south to Highway 11 to West Gate Road.

The South Carolina Forestry Commission said that good progress was made in battling the blaze on Tuesday, but later, "wind gusts dramatically increased fire activity."

The Table Rock Fire has burned over 4,500 acres, and the Persimmon Ridge Fire has charred about 1,500 acres. Both are at 0% containment. On the eastern side of South Carolina, the Horry Fire has engulfed over 2,000 acres and is almost fully contained.