March 31, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Transylvania County Forest Fire Update, 6 PM See www.transylvaniacounty.org/2025-wildfire

Future updates will be issued daily unless conditions change while under the Transylvania County State of Emergency for Wildfire.

Transylvania County, NC Fire Updates

• There is no longer a curfew for any portion of Transylvania County.
• A burning ban remains in effect for all of North Carolina.
• Preliminary estimates reflect approximately 606 Acres have been burned in Transylvania County including approximately 2.4 acres of private property. Most of the damage has occurred on state forest land and no homes have been damaged due to the fire. A portion of the county remains in yellow evacuation status with no mandatory evacuation orders in place.
• Cedar Mountain Fire and Rescue, Connestee Fire and Rescue, Office of State Fire Marshall and North Carolina Forestry Service have been engaged in establishing fire break lines and preparing residential properties to maximize the ability to protect those structures for days leading up to the fire reaching the state line. All of that work has been key prevention work as the fireline of the Table Rock Fire. Meanwhile, the Table Rock Complex (Table Rock and Persimmon Ridge) Fire has had an incident command based in South Carolina being led by the Southern Area Incident Management Blue Team with the collaboration of South Carolina state and local response agencies. Once the fireline became imminent to cross into North Carolina, Transylvania County announced a State of Emergency that brings forward tools that can be used in an emergency including the ability to issue curfews, evacuation orders and to establish the basis for leveraging additional state and federal resources. A State of Emergency can only be declared by a municipality, county or the state by the chief elected official. This also opened the door for unified command so that county emergency management staff could provide more resource support to the local efforts. As of this morning, the Southern Area Incident Management Blue Team is operating a Forward Operating Base at Connestee Fire Department to continue their operations to contain the Table Rock Complex Fire and eliminate the threat to residences in both North and South Carolina. Cedar Mountain Fire and Rescue, Connestee Fire and Rescue and

Transylvania County Emergency Management will continue to coordinate with federal and state agencies that are managing the fire line operations and make sure that measures are in place for structure protection as needed. This transition allows for local fire crews to rest, recuperate and resume normal operations. The actions of local and state agencies were critical to the successes of the last two days preventing structure losses and enabling the ability to establish more containment lines. Operations today will continue to establish more containment area and coordination between local, state and federal agencies will continue.

• Miscommunication can be dangerous and creates additional challenges in the response effort. Transylvania County is partnering with the Southern Area Incident Management Blue Team and North Carolina Emergency Management Department to provide some public education tools to better understand the forest fires and what happens during an emergency.

• Three boards have been posted by the SAIM Blue Team. They are located at Cedar Mountain Fire Department, The Outpost and at Transylvania County Public Safety. These boards are updated daily with maps and information on the fire operation.

Connestee Fire and Rescue Update

No structure loss from this event. The department is returning to normal operations. (Note-they will continue to host the Forward Operating Base for the Table Rock Complex Response being operated by the Southern Area Incident Management Blue Team.)

Note- the announcement yesterday that the department did not need any more food or supply donations was specifically requested by Connestee Fire and Rescue. This was not a decision made or imposed by Transylvania County.

Cedar Mountain Fire and Rescue Update

A message board has been placed at Cedar Mountain Fire and Rescue. The message board will be updated with information on the Table Rock Complex Fire Response along with additional information for residents regarding the forest fires.

276 is open only to the state line.

The department is returning to normal operations. The Hurry County support crew is still at Cedar Mountain and will continue to support the department’s response. The department is asking residents to continue to be proactive and remove any dry leaves or vegetative debris from around their homes, vehicles and gutters. Removing any flammable items including cushions, cardboard, wood piles, etc, will help support their ability to protect structures.

Table Rock Complex Incident Command Update

The Southern Area Blue Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) is managing the Table Rock Complex, in unified command with multiple state and local agencies in both North and South Carolina.

Persimmon Ridge Fire Size: 2,078 acres

Containment: 64 percent

Fire Start Date: March 22, 2025 Cause: Human-caused

This fire has not increased in acreage in several days. Firefighters concentrated efforts today on the eastern edge where Hurricane Helene debris is causing challenges. Additional equipment will be assigned to this area that will be used to break up this debris and allow firefighters to mop up the fallen trees and other material that is retaining heat.

Rock Fire

Size: 13,191 acres (SC) 574 acres (NC)

Containment: 30 percent

Fire Start Date: March 21, 2025 Cause: Human-caused

Moist conditions on Sunday greatly reduced fire activity and allowed crews to work directly along the fire’s edge. The perimeter of the Table Rock Fire did not increase – the additional acreage showing today was due to a successful burnout on the southwest part of the fire. Priority areas for today’s actions included completing firelines on the North Carolina portion of the fire. Firefighters will be scouting for opportunities to directly construct lines in the Raven Cliffs area to keep the fire from spreading into Matthews Creek. Firefighters will also continue to reinforce firelines to the west and northeast by using water to cool hot spots that continue to smolder.

Rattlesnake Ridge Fire, US Forestry Service Update

Note: Please drive cautiously on State Route 276 and other roads around the fire. Please do not stop along the side of the road for your protection and the protection of firefighters and equipment.

The fire is approximately 1,865 acres and 21 percent contained. Containment activities continue today.