Hurricane Helene Changed These Mountains Forever
17% of the trees in Buncombe County were lost during the storm.
Hurricane Helene tore through the Blue Ridge, flattening forests, ripping up roots and stripping mountain slopes bare.
With the canopy gone, invasive species are rushing in, threatening one of the most diverse ecosystems in the United States. Scientists say the future of this forest may not be a return to normal but to something we’ve never seen before.
