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Nonprofit warns of wildfire risk, offers free help after hurricane damaged 46,000 acres in Burke County
Summary
EcoForesters told the Burke County commissioners that Hurricane Helene damaged roughly 46,000 acres in the county, creating wildfire risk and regeneration challenges; the nonprofit said it has crews and no‑cost assistance available to landowners and urged planning and equipment investment.
Eco Foresters, a forestry nonprofit, told the Burke County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 6 that Hurricane Helene left extensive damage in western North Carolina and that Burke County recorded nearly 46,000 acres of forest damage in the storm's aftermath.
Ian Lang Hoorthal, executive director of Eco Foresters, said the North Carolina Forest Service's damage assessment estimated about 46,000 acres affected in Burke County and pegged timber-value loss in the county at more than $10,000,000. "We received funding from the Community Foundation in Western North Carolina" for recovery work, Hoorthal said.
Why it matters: Commissioners were urged to plan for ongoing recovery needs, because the nonprofit said the material left on the ground will raise wildfire risk for several years and could overwhelm private landowners who lack access and equipment to remove downed timber.
Hoorthal said the scale of the event is historically unusual and that roughly 800,000 acres were damaged across western North Carolina. "We anticipate this being an ongoing challenge, again, for the next several years," he said, and added that in many places access — steep slopes and lack of heavy equipment — prevents crews from removing downed wood.
Eco Foresters described several immediate problems: increased wildfire intensity where crews cannot access fuel, rapid colonization by invasive plants that can outcompete desired tree species, and lost timber revenue that traditionally helped landowners pay for stewardship work. Hoorthal said the absence of nearby mills and past closures complicates landowners' ability to offset restoration costs by selling timber.
What Eco Foresters is offering: Hoorthal said the nonprofit has professional foresters, two crews doing access and chainsaw work, invasive plant control, tree planting, and stream restoration available to Burke County landowners at no charge. He encouraged the county and residents to use community wildfire protection plans developed by partners such as Carolina Land and Lakes.
Commission response and requests: Commissioner comments focused on equipment and capacity. One commissioner urged the county to consider buying heavy equipment and forming teams capable of accessing remote parcels; Hoorthal estimated that hiring a single piece of heavy equipment to show up at a property can cost $2,000 to $4,000 per day.
Hoorthal also urged the county to use planning tools to prioritize work where it reduces the greatest risk, and said Eco Foresters will share information about targeted actions landowners can take, including workshops to help residents identify and control invasive plants.
The nonprofit asked the commission what county-level supports it needs; commissioners asked Hoorthal to return for the regular Oct. 20 meeting with more specifics on equipment and potential cost estimates.
Ending: Eco Foresters left commissioners with a practical appeal: the county can reduce emergency costs and wildfire risk by investing in access, planning, and shared equipment, and the nonprofit said it stands ready to partner and to deploy crews and technical assistance at no charge to affected landowners.
