Maps shows wildfires burning in the Carolinas as evacuations and emergency declarations prompted

U.S.
Maps shows wildfires burning in the Carolinas as evacuations and emergency declarations prompted
Updated on: March 23, 2025 / 11:54 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Wildfires that broke out in one North Carolina county have exploded in size, prompting mandatory evacuations as emergency crews fought separate fires in an area still recovering from Hurricane Helene. Meanwhile, in South Carolina, the governor declared an emergency in response to a growing blaze in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety announced a mandatory evacuation on Saturday for parts of Polk County in western North Carolina, about 80 miles west of Charlotte.

"Visibility in area will be reduced and roads/evacuation routes can become blocked; if you do not leave now, you could be trapped, injured, or killed," the agency said in a social media post.

It is the second time in less than a month that Polk County residents have faced evacuations due to wildfires. It also comes nearly six months after Hurricane Helena devasted the area.