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The Extreme Weather Conditions That Drove the Carolina Wildfires


The wildifires in the Carolinas have followed months of whiplash weather—drought, followed by hurricane-fueled floods, and then more drought.

When the land and vegetation is this dry, all it takes is a lightning strike or a man-made fire and wind gusts to start a wildfire. In August and September, Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene caused extensive flooding in the two states, but the Carolinas received little rainfall in the months that followed, leaving winter 2025 abnormally dry again. Increasing temperatures mean the atmosphere can hold more moisture, amplifying how much water it can draw from the land surface and eventually drop in heavier storms.

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