US

Western North Carolina Faces Ongoing Wildfire Threats in Aftermath of Hurricane Helene

Local, state, and federal authorities are working to mitigate the potential for widespread fires.
Western North Carolina Faces Ongoing Wildfire Threats in Aftermath of Hurricane Helene
People take photos of a wildfire burning near Lake Lure, N.C., on Nov. 10, 2016. Patrick Sullivan/The Times-News via AP
Jeff Louderback
|Updated:
0:00

Along the winding mountainous backroads of western North Carolina, fallen timber from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene almost six months ago stretches as far as the eye can see.

It is a sight that greets Kristi Rodda every day. On Sept. 27, 2024, Helene delivered hurricane-strength winds, tornadoes, floods, landslides, and mudslides to western North Carolina. Days later, Rodda arrived as a volunteer, planning to stay for a few weeks and then return home to Missouri.

Jeff Louderback
Jeff Louderback
Reporter
Jeff Louderback covers major news and politics, including the Make America Healthy Again movement and regenerative farming. Since joining The Epoch Times in 2022, he has covered national elections, the Robert F. Kennedy Jr. presidential campaign, the East Palestine train derailment, and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. Jeff has 30-plus years of professional experience as a reporter, editor, and author.