EDNEYVILLE, N.C. – Firefighters across North Carolina are busy Saturday battling a series of fires that are threatening homes outside of Asheville.
Edneyville Fire and Rescue reported the Poplar Drive Wildfire was burning close to nearly half a dozen homes in Henderson County.
Due to extensive dry brush, the North Carolina Forest Service said the fire quickly grew to at least 200 acres and was 0% contained.
Local deputies said anyone other than residents should avoid the area in order for the large firefighting operation to continue with minimal interruptions.
National Weather Service meteorologists warned that an extensive dry air mass was in place that could lead to quick-growing wildfires.
Relative humidity values were estimated to be about 20%, which, when combined with dry fuels, was a recipe for an increased fire risk.
Less than 100 miles west of Henderson County, firefighters were working what was known as the Collett Ridge Fire near Andrews, North Carolina.
The U.S. Forest Service reported that the nearly 700-acre fire was not threatening any homes, but a layer of thick smoke had settled near the ground.
Firefighters said the fire was moving at a slow pace through the mountainside but was being enhanced by the recent fallen leaves.
Local authorities did not immediately address the causes of the wildfires, but they were likely human-induced because of a lack of thunderstorm activity.
The Poplar Drive and the Collett Ridge wildfires are not the only blazes being monitored in the region.
Several other wildfires in North Carolina as well as Tennessee and Georgia are being worked by firefighters in order to contain the flames.
Data from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows large parts of the Southeast and Tennessee Valley are dealing with drought conditions that make fires more susceptible.
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Nearly 97% of the Volunteer State is dealing with abnormally dry or drought conditions. Figures are similar for communities in North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and parts of Georgia.
For many weather observation sites, the last stretch of rainy weather happened in mid-October with the passage of a stout cold front, but it did not end rainfall deficits.
The city of Atlanta is running a precipitation deficit of 7 inches for the year. Asheville, North Carolina, is more than 11 inches below normal.
Communities downwind of the fires also face the threat of poor air quality.
Local NWS offices have issued off-and-on air quality alerts, due to the threat of concentrations of particulate matter exceeding unhealthy standards.
Forecasters warned those who have respiratory ailments and live downwind of the larger blazes to limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
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