Earlier this month, Townhall covered how wildfires ripped through southern California, killing at least 29 people around Los Angeles.
Harrowing footage showed residents escaping their homes and trying to navigate their escape through the fires.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as a nearly 3,000-acre wildfire spread through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 8, 2025
Read more: https://t.co/cjvw2IiEb1 pic.twitter.com/UaeJAv3bbf
This week, reports broke that wildfires were breaking out on the east coast, in an area that was just ravaged by a hurricane.
At least three wildfires have broken out in North Carolina towns that were devastated by Hurricane Helene last year.
Reportedly, this was started when a downed power line caused a tree to ignite. Winds spread the fire, the McDowell County Office of Emergency Management said. There have been no injuries or fatalities reported, though multiple buildings have been destroyed. There were evacuation orders in place in some areas.
Wildfires erupt near North Carolina towns ravaged by Hurricane Helene https://t.co/pF47vFdl3C pic.twitter.com/BgOOXzTu7n
— New York Post (@nypost) January 30, 2025
According to WRAL News, spring wildfire season has not officially begun. However, 75 percent of the state is currently in drought. Before the wildfires broke out, the North Carolina Forest Service said that the risk of fire was high.
“With low relative humidity, wind gusts and dry fuels, fire danger is expected to be high across the Piedmont, Foothills and Mountains,” the agency said.
Amy Davis, 49, helped lead recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene in Old Fort, North Carolina. She told The New York Times that the fires have complicated relief efforts.
“We’re still in the middle of many distribution projects,” Davis said. “We kind of have been forgotten after Helene.”