Lauren Brady Period 4 11/13/16 Appalachian Forest Fires Cause Evacuations and Destruction

          Several fires in Appalachia are causing mass evacuations. In North Carolina, the Party Rock Fire has claimed about 2,000 acres and is heading towards the town of Lake Lure, forcing 1,200 people out of their homes. Authorities are warning other rural towns in the area to be ready to evacuate. The Party Rock Fire is just one out of 200 fires in North Carolina alone. 5,000 firefighters and other support have been working around the clock to contain these fires and North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has declared a state of emergency in 25 western counties after 5 counties were evacuated. The fires are suspected arson, but natural conditions, like the drought, have also been a cause. In Georgia, the Rough Ridge Fire has destroyed over 13,300 acres and is 20% contained. Another Georgia fire, the Rock Mountain Fire, in Rabun county has caused dozens of evacuations and has burned 2,600 acres. It is only 5% contained, and is suspected to be caused by humans. 

          It is horrific to see the destruction that these fires have caused. All of the people that have been forced to evacuate, and all of the land that has been consumed face terrible effects in the future. It is even harder to think about considering that arson is a suspected cause for many of the fires. North Carolina, Georgia, and other states face many challenges in the face of the fire, and also in the wake of it. These fires can be connected to the Great Chicago Fire, The Great Michigan Fire, The Port Huron Fire, and the Great Peshtigo Fire. All four of those fires occurred in the midwest concurrently and were some of the deadliest and most destructive in U.S. history. The cause is debated, although researchers agree that it was natural. The Appalachian fires also are in the general location of the South, mainly in Georgia and North Carolina. 

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/12/us/southern-wildfires/index.html