ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The combination of dry fuels and gusty winds Friday night and Saturday will lead to an increased danger of wildfires across Western North Carolina.
Because of that, the National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch until 8 p.m. Saturday, March 1, for most of the Asheville area.
Counties in the watch area include: Cherokee, York, Rabun, Anderson, Abbeville, Laurens, Union, Chester, Habersham, Stephens, Greenwood, Franklin, Hart, Elbert, Avery, Alexander, Iredell, Davie, Madison, Yancey, Mitchell, Swain, Haywood, Buncombe, Catawba, Rowan, Graham, Northern Jackson, Macon, Southern Jackson, Transylvania, Henderson, Cleveland, Lincoln, Gaston, Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Union, Oconee Mountains, Pickens Mountains, Greenville Mountains, Greater Oconee, Greater Pickens, Central Greenville, Southern Greenville, Northern Spartanburg, Southern Spartanburg, North Carolina Portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Caldwell Mountains, Greater Caldwell, Burke Mountains, Greater Burke, McDowell Mountains, Eastern McDowell, Rutherford Mountains, Greater Rutherford, Polk Mountains and Eastern Polk.
Winds are expected to be 10 to 20 mph from the southwest with gusts up to 35 mph during the morning Saturday before shifting to the northwest during the afternoon.
Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly, the National Weather Service warned. Outdoor burning is not recommended.