North Guilford News

Governor Roy Cooper visited the Sauratown Volunteer Fire Department in King, North Carolina, on Wednesday, to express his appreciation to the firefighters and first responders for their dedicated efforts in battling the fires burning across the state. This visit comes amidst an extended state of emergency due to wildfires that have hit several counties in North Carolina.

Shifting focus towards the administrative response to this crisis, Governor Cooper has expanded the state of emergency in North Carolina counties due to wildfires. The affected counties include the Piedmont Triad counties, such as Guilford, Forsyth, Davidson, Randolph, Rockingham, and others. The extension of the state of emergency aims to provide assistance to local jurisdictions and agencies affected by the fires, as reported by WFMY News 2.

Moving on from policies into a brief overview of field operations, Firefighting crews are actively monitoring the northern area of the fires and will continue to do so. As reported by WFMY News 2, there have been no physical injuries, and efforts are being made to push back against minor fire-type damage. According to the North Carolina Forest Service mentioned in the article, conditions on Sauratown Mountain have seen a "dramatically" different scene following the fires. Close to 100 firefighters are currently engaged in combating this mountain fire.

Considering recent weather events affecting these operations, Fox News 8 reported that rainfall on Tuesday, Nov. 21, "halted forward progression" of the fire, keeping it within last recorded area of 750 acres. This proved highly beneficial in maintaining control over fire last Saturday. According to Fox News 8, no homes around Sauratown Mountain have been damaged. Governor Cooper expressed his appreciation for firefighters and acknowledged their dedication, emphasizing risks they take for the state.