Wildfire Map Spotlight: North Carolina wildfires

What is the name and location of the wildfire?

As of Monday morning, November 6, 2023, several wildfires are burning in western North Carolina, including Asheville and Hendersonville (1).

The Collett Ridge brush fire that’s been burning for the past two weeks near Asheville exploded to 1335 acres on Sunday. An additional fire broke out in western Asheville on Sunday.

Near Hendersonville, the Poplar Drive Fire grew to 250 acres (2). It is 5 percent contained.

Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire?

Cities and regions affected by the wildfires are as follows:

• Asheville, North Carolina: A wildfire broke out in west Asheville, affecting the Westmore Drive area.
• Hendersonville, North Carolina: The Poplar Drive Fire in the Edneyville community has grown to 250 acres, impacting structures in that area.
• Bald Top Mountain: Evacuations were implemented near Bald Top Mountain in Henderson County.
• Poor air quality was being experienced on Monday across numerous cities in and around the Appalachian Mountains, including Raleigh, North Carolina; Charleston, West Virginia; and Chattanooga, Tennessee.

What is the current containment status of the wildfire?

The containment status varies depending on the wildfire:
• A small wildfire in Asheville was contained after more than an hour, though it has not been extinguished.
• The Poplar Drive Fire in Hendersonville was reported to be only 5% contained.
• The Collett Ridge Fire in Cherokee County is uncontained and has grown to 1,335 acres. No structures are threatened or have been lost (3).

Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?

A State of Emergency has been declared in Henderson County (4). Additional measures have been taken in the region:

• Evacuation orders were implemented for the Westmore Drive area in Asheville.
• Evacuations are in progress near Bald Top Mountain in Henderson County.
• Structures in the Cairn Court and Morril Drive area in Edneyville were threatened, and residents were advised to stay away from those areas.
• An outdoor burning ban was issued for multiple North Carolina counties due to high fire danger, low humidity, and strong gusty winds.

How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?

Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.

• Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
• Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
• Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke
• Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
• Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.