Wildfire Triggers Evacuations in Crooked Creek Community
Residents of McDowell County’s Crooked Creek community are being evacuated due to a spreading wildfire. The blaze, fueled by gusty winds, poses a significant challenge for firefighters working to contain it.
According to officials from McDowell County Emergency Management, the fire was first detected around 1 p.m. and remained uncontained by the time of their report over two hours later. Despite the destruction of several outbuildings, no injuries or primary structure fires have been reported as of late Wednesday afternoon.
The fire jumped a road near the 3500 block of Bat Cave Road at about 2:30 p.m., propelled by strong winds, according to McDowell Emergency Management. This escalation led to evacuation orders for residents living along Bat Cave Rd., Pine Cove Rd., Cherry Springs Rd., Roy Moore Rd., Juliet Drive, the 1000 block of Lavender Rd., and Comfy Cove Rd., impacting all private drives connected to these routes.
An emergency shelter has been set up at 203 East Main St., in Old Fort, providing refuge for those displaced by the fire.
