THE PROBLEM

In Western North Carolina, the impacts of Hurricane Helene revealed how urgently our watersheds need greater resilience. Along rivers such as the New River, French Broad River, Catawba River, and Broad River, restoring natural water storage and flood buffering is critical.

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The Impact of Hurricane Helene

 

In North Carolina, Hurricane Helene caused severe environmental damage, especially across the western mountains, where record rainfall triggered catastrophic flooding and thousands of landslides that reshaped entire landscapes. Rivers such as the French Broad and Swannanoa overflowed, washing away roads, forests, and riverbanks while isolating communities and damaging water and sewer systems.

 

Forest canopies were stripped, slopes destabilized, and new river channels formed, permanently altering ecosystems and increasing future flood risk. Heavy runoff carried debris and pollutants into waterways, harming wildlife habitats and freshwater systems.

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Scientists describe the storm as a major geomorphic event that transformed parts of the Appalachian region, showing how climate-driven storms can dramatically change inland environments far from the coast and leave ecological impacts that may take decades to recover.​

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The Impact of the Bee Rock Creek Fire

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In April 2025, the Bee Rock Creek Fire burned 2,085 acres in McDowell County, North Carolina, near Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Igniting on April 15 in steep, rugged terrain near the Armstrong Fish Hatchery, the wildfire threatened nearby homes and prompted evacuations along Wild Acres Road.

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About 159 firefighters and support personnel responded using helicopters, water drops, and strategic firing operations to slow the blaze and protect communities. Rainy weather later helped crews contain the fire, which reached 94% containment by April 23. The Bee Rock Creek Fire underscored the growing wildfire risk facing North Carolina’s mountain forests and nearby communities.

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