Firefighters are continuing to battle blazes in Western North Carolina.
Some residents in the region have been evacuated, and the impact may reach far beyond the mountains.
With winds as high as 30 miles per hour, the wildfire at Lake Lure is challenging to contain. Emergency personnel are going door-to-door, urging residents to leave. Firefighters are trying to protect the environment and homes in the area, but the wind is making it difficult to fight the flames from the air.
This is one of over a dozen fires that continue to grow, some even doubling in size over the weekend.
According to WNCN, smoke from the fires is showing up on weather radar, and is expected to travel as far as North Carolina beaches. That could contribute to a burning smell in the air even across the Triad.
The irregular dry weather is making conditions perfect for escalation. Wildfires are also burning in Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, with smoke inhalation advisories, open burn bans, and states of emergency being put into place across all of these southern states.