“It’s time to learn about wildfires,” Mother Nature said.
And just like that...here came a big dose of wildfires right in the back yard of Saluda, NC and some surrounding areas. Turns out...it’s not just an “out west” thing any more.
As a resident of Saluda and being within two to five miles (as the crow flies) of where there are three active fires burning (currently burning an area of over 4,500 acres) I wanted to share some insights into maybe putting some more meaning into this scenario as it unfolds here in our daily lives.
*Note that these fires have been named the “Deep Woods Fire” (currently over 2,500 acres...on the South side of Green River Cove road), the “Black Cove Fire” (currently over 2,000 acres...on the North side of Green River Cove road) and the “Fish Hook Fire” (currently over 150 acres...on the North side of Lake Adger). The Black Cove Fire is primarily burning in the Green River Wild Gamelands.
Firstly...wild fires don’t move like we are used to experiencing with weather patterns. You know...like left to right on a map...trackable…...North to South...East to West….is pretty easy to learn if you’re in the direct path of a dangerous storm or tornado or a hurricane. It’s easy to know even approximately when you may be in danger...like at what point the storm may pass over your location.
My experience with these wildfires here have been...first you see a post about it’s beginning location by the local authorities...and then at some point you see the smoke from it. But you have NO IDEA which way its traveling...who’s in danger...what locations are safe. I learned real quick..I have absolutely ZERO experience with “what to do” in case of wildfire near you.
So what happens is you worry and seek out information. And there just isn’t a lot. Not like a weather event where every channel is broadcasting predictions and warnings are issued and so forth.
Wildfires seem to be more of a living, breathing, threat that shifts and changes moment by moment.
Wildfires don’t burn necessarily in a direction per say. Two sides can be burning in two different directions...or three sides... or all sides...or it may be burning in a line of sorts all in one direction and then it will shift due to wind changes and where the expectorant is more dense (in this case...there’s a WHOLE LOT of downed tree debris left in the forest here from Helene damage so it’s a lot like matchsticks laying everywhere). There’s also hot burning embers flying up into the air and then falling ahead of the fire causing it to grow into a new direction. I would imagine that it might be described by some as “wack a mole” when it comes to attempting to “put the fire out”.
So containment is the end game. To protect structures where people live. And to backburn in an attempt to keep the fire from spreading so that when the fire reaches that area there’s nothing left there to burn.
Meanwhile...you hear lots of emergency sirens, aircraft (in this case a Chinook and Huey helicopter) dropping water to control the spread, see the smoke billowing into the sky and depending upon how the wind is blowing...air quality gets pretty poor because of the smoke.
I noticed that as the fires spread and residential roadways were being threatened...evacuation orders were issued based upon the direction of spread. Yet there didn’t seem to be a way to know ahead of time who was in danger. Do you pack up and leave? Is it safe to stay? Do you need to go? And how do you know when it’s safe to return?
I was scouring Facebook to find as much information as I could about knowing the answers to these questions. And then...And THEN...I came across THE MOST HELPFUL THING!
It’s like a weather radar for wildfires. Shows you right where they are...and gives you clues as to which way they are moving. Imagery all provided from satellites passing over.
Fire.airnow.gov
It’s basically like a google maps but for showing where fires are currently burning all over the U.S. So to view these particular fires near Saluda, NC... just click on the map and drag it in a direction that will show you North Carolina, then zoom way in.
Using this tool I’m MUCH more comfortable knowing whether I’m in any imminent threat from where these fires move and spread to.
Quite honestly...I’ve been a little shell-shocked from being surrounded by crisis again and again. (The devastation from Hurricane Helene, then the Melrose wildfire here the first week of March and now these wildfires). Writing about it helps me sort it all out. So if you’ve read this far...thank you for reading along.
The town of Saluda is not currently in imminent danger. But there have been quite a few mandatory evacuations issued in areas that this fire is currently impacting. I'll put a link in the comments that list these streets and roads.
Also note that Saluda Fire and Rescue has declared the hiking trails to Little Bradley Falls and to Big Bradley Falls as closed until further notice.
I hope learning about this fire-watching-tool is as helpful for you as it has been for me. Now I can sleep at night...and better plan for whether a mandatory evacuation is coming my way.
Photo Credit: Damian Morgan