State of Emergency extended in 34 counties for western North Carolina wildfires (2025)

CHANGES COMING SUNDAY. NEXT. DYLAN THANK YOU. WE’RE TURNING TO ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, WHERE AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY INTO A DEADLY CRASH IN EDEN. STATE HIGHWAY PATROL SAYS FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED WHEN A CITY DUMP TRUCK RAN A STOP SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION OF CARROLL AND CHURCH STREETS AND PLOWED INTO SIX MEN WORKING ON POWER LINES. FOUR OF THOSE WORKERS WERE KILLED, AND ANOTHER THREE PEOPLE WERE INJURED. THE VICTIMS RANGED IN AGE FROM 30 TO 72. AT LAST CHECK, TWO SURVIVORS ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES. STATE HIGHWAY PATROL SAYS MICHAEL VERNON WAS DRIVING THAT DUMP TRUCK. HE’S CHARGED WITH A STOP SIGN VIOLATION AND MISDEMEANOR DEATH BY VEHICLE. CITY LEADERS SAY VERNON HAS WORKED WITH THEM AS AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR SINCE AUGUST OF 2017, AND HE IS NOW ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. HIS WIFE SPOKE TO OUR SARAH SOWERS. DOCTORS BELIEVE HE SUFFERED A MEDICAL ISSUE WHICH LED TO THE CRASH. INVESTIGATORS HAVE NOT CONFIRMED THAT DETAIL. SHE AND HER HUSBAND SAY THEY ARE BOTH THINKING OF THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES. MEANWHILE, THE CRASH HAS SHAKEN THIS SMALL TOWN COMMUNITY TO ITS CORE. PEOPLE LOSE THEIR FAMILIES LIKE IT AND AND TRYING TO MAKE MONEY AND LOSE THEIR FAMILIES IN THE PROCESS. I THINK THAT’S A VERY, VERY DISTURBING SITUATION AT THE MOMENT. ALL THESE PEOPLE HAVE DONE LOST THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. AND LIKE, YOU NEVER KNOW IF THE ONE IN THE HOSPITAL, IF THEY’RE EVEN GOING TO MAKE IT LIKE AND IT’S IT’S VERY SAD. IT MAKES ME WANT TO CRY. ROCKINGHAM COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ONGOING AND WE ARE WAITING FOR UPDATES ON THE CONDITION OF THE TWO VICTIMS WHO ARE STILL IN THE HOSPITAL. THREE OF THE VICTIMS WORKED FOR CAROLINA POWER AND SIGNALIZATION. THE COMPANY PUT UP THIS TRIBUTE AT THEIR OFFICE IN FAYETTEVILLE. THREE TRUCKS WITH THEIR BUCKETS RAISED AND THE AMERICAN FLAG HANGING BELOW. THE FOURTH MAN KILLED WAS A THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR. CAROLINA POWER AND SIGNALIZATION SAYS HEARTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO EVERYONE IMPACTED BY THIS HORRIFIC EVENT. THE SISTER OF THE YOUNGEST VICTIM KILLED, MATTHEW LOCKWOOD, IS NOW SHARING HIS STORY. SHE SAYS IN HIS 30 YEARS, HE LIVED AN AMAZING LIFE. LOCKWOOD WAS AN EAGLE SCOUT AND A MARINE WHO SERVED MULTIPLE TOURS IN IRAQ. HIS SISTER SAYS HE WAS LAID BACK AND PRIVATE, BUT SHE’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM AS HER SILLY LITTLE BROTHER. SECRETLY, HE WAS A GOOFBALL, AND HE AND I USED TO HAVE, LIKE, DANCE BATTLES ALL THE TIME IN OUR ROOM GROWING UP. WE WOULD KARAOKE TO OUR FAVORITE BAND, AND WE WOULD HAVE DANCE BATTLES AND SEE WHO PERFORMED BETTER AND STUFF, AND I MISS THAT. I MISS THAT. A GOFUNDME HAS BEEN CREATED TO HELP COVER HIS FUNERAL EXPENSES. WE HAVE A LINK TO THAT ON OUR WEBSITE. WXII 12.COM. GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN, ALSO EXTENDING HIS CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF THOSE KILLED. IN A STATEMENT, HE WRITES, QUOTE, KEEPING WORKERS SAFE ON ROADS IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY AND WE MUST ALL DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO PROMOTE ROAD SAFETY. OUR COVERAGE ON THIS STORY CONTINUES ON OUR WEBSITE AND THE FREE WXII 12 NEWS MOBILE APP. THERE YOU CAN SEE THE STATEMENT FROM EDEN’S MAYOR AND OTHER MEMORIALS FOR THE VICTIMS. HAPPENING NOW IN WINSTON-SALEM. AUTHORITIES ARE SEARCHING FOR SUSPECTS WANTED FOR ROBBING A DEPARTMENT STORE LAST NIGHT. POLICE TELL US THREE PEOPLE ROBBED THE BURLINGTON ON SILAS CREEK PARKWAY AROUND 8 P.M. ONE OF THE SUSPECTS HAD PEPPER SPRAY AND STOLE VARIOUS ITEMS. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY. TODAY IS NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE BACK DAY. LOCAL GROUPS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE SAFE WAYS TO DISPOSE OF UNUSED AND EXPIRED MEDICATIONS. THE EFFORT AIMS TO KEEP DANGEROUS PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OUT OF THE WRONG HANDS. YOU CAN VISIT DEA.GOV TO FIND A COLLECTION SITE NEAR YOU. 807 HERE ON YOUR SATURDAY MORNING AND NEW LEGISLATION IS BEING INTRODUCED TO CONGRESS TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HELENE. U.S. SENATOR THOM TILLIS PRESENTED THE HELENE RECOVERY SMALL BUSINESS ACT AND THE LOANS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ACT. THE FIRST BILL WOULD WAIVE A RULE THAT PREVENTS SMALL BUSINESSES RECEIVING SBA DISASTER LOANS FROM ALSO ACCESSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS. THE LOANS ACT WOULD INCREASE THE MINIMUM GROSS LOAN AMOUNT FOR SELECT LOANS. TILLIS PROPOSALS COME AS CLEANUP CONTINUES IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. NEARLY SEVEN MONTHS AFTER HURRICANE HELENE. SINCE THEN, THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SAYS 5,000,000YD OF STORM DEBRIS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. THEY SAY IT’S A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE, BUT AS JUSTIN BERGER REPORTS, THERE’S STILL A LOT TO DO. THIS IS THE WORK OF THE 5,000,000YD COLLECTED, MORE THAN 60% COMES FROM WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA’S WATERWAYS. THE MAN IN CHARGE OF DEBRIS CLEANUP EFFORTS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, COLONEL BRAD MORGAN, SAYS THE ARMY CORPS GOAL IS TO HAVE THE VAST MAJORITY OF DEBRIS CLEANUP COMPLETED BY MID-SUMMER. THAT MEANS RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH HE SAYS IS GENERALLY COMPLETE. WATERWAY, PRIVATE PROPERTY AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. HE ESTIMATES THERE TO BE ABOUT 6,000,000YD OF TOTAL DEBRIS. THE CORPS AND THEIR CONTRACTORS HAVE OR ARE PLANNING TO REMOVE. THAT NUMBER CAN CONTINUE TO GROW AND LIKELY WILL AS WE CONTINUE TO EXECUTE ADDITIONAL WORK AND ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THURSDAY, LEE FORSGREN, THE ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY FOR CIVIL WORKS, APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SURVEYED THE HOMINY CREEK RIVER PARK TEMPORARY OFFLOAD SITE, ONE OF MANY SITES WHERE DEBRIS IS STAGED BEFORE BEING HAULED OFF TO A TEMPORARY DEBRIS MANAGEMENT SITE. THE PRESIDENT WAS VERY CLEAR WHEN HE CAME HERE IN JANUARY THAT HE IS NOT GOING TO FORGET WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. MICHAEL WHATLEY, THE FORMER NC GOP CHAIRMAN, GREW UP IN BLOWING ROCK. DEBRIS REMOVAL IS ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE ASPECTS OF THE STORM RECOVERY, AND I THINK THE FACT THAT FEMA AND THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS ARE WORKING ALL DAY, EVERY DAY TO TRY AND GET THAT DONE IS TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT. CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED OVER IMPACTS OF DEBRIS REMOVAL, BUT ARMY CORPS OFFICIALS SAY OPERATIONS ARE BEING EXECUTED UNDER CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL PROCEDURES. WHAT WE’RE DOING ON OUR WATERWAYS. WHAT WE ARE DOING IN THE COMMUNITIES IS A MUST. THAT WAS JUSTIN BERGER REPORTING. CREWS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN CLEARING THE WATERWAYS ON JUNE 1ST. SCAN THIS QR CODE TO HEAR FROM THE RESIDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTINUE THE HARD WORK OF REBUILDING ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL. YOU CAN FIND MORE STORIES