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Debris & Repairs
10/3: The fire department has confirmed that mud has hazmat toxins in it. You must wear gloves and masks! Be careful-not a good time to need the hospital. (From Hall Fletcher Neighborhood listserv) SMART to assume mud in the entire area is affected.
CLICK HERE for dangerous mud and water safety handling practices
Lithium Ion Batteries Fire Hazard
Geotagged Dangerous Situation Reporting
Permits & Inspections
If you plan to demolish or remodel any building in Buncombe County including residential, commercial, industrial, or public buildings, you must obtain a permit from the Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency. You must also obtain a permit for any plans to remove any asbestos containing materials. A free permit can be obtained online through the permit portal at buncombecounty.org/air. For questions, please contact the Agency at 828-250-6777 or at airquality@buncombecounty.org.
Permit applications are available at electrical supply companies that are open and the Permits Office at 30 Valley Street, weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Electronic permit applications are accepted on the Development Portal . Permits are being issued HOWEVER if you are in a special flood hazard area, you will have additional requirements specific to your project. Check your area and special requirements.
Emergency Permitting Frequently Asked Questions
FEMA housing inspector explains inspection process. (youtube.com)
Facts About FEMA Home Inspections (youtube.com)
TS Helene Emergency Permits are available from our website at develop.ashevillenc.gov. Permits are intended to allow immediate removal of storm damage related items and reconstruction to pre-storm conditions. Permit fees are currently waived and issued as quickly as possible but at least within 24 hours. Assessments of structures that received storm related damage are in progress and will continue for the next couple of weeks. Building Damage Assessment Teams will be traveling in pairs, and within City of Asheville marked vehicles. Assessments include the posting of buildings tags:
● Green indicates there was storm related damage to a building and occupancy can be immediately re-established.
● Yellow indicates that there are damaged areas of the building that should be avoided but the building is occupiable within the safe parts of the building.
● Red indicates that the building is unsafe to occupy. (Red does not indicate a notice of condemnation or demolition) If your building did not receive storm related damage you won’t receive a tag or documentation and may operate your business as usual.
Hazardous Material Reporting
If you come across hazardous materials in your area following the flooding from Hurricane Helene, please report them immediately by emailing ncdwmspills@deq.nc.gov. Provide pertinent information including location, description of item and pictures. If possible, take clear photos of the items and their surroundings to aid in proper identification and removal.
Mold Alert
If your home has suffered water damage from Hurricane Helene, it’s vital to understand the risks of mold and mildew. These fungi can develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure and continue to grow until moisture sources are addressed, leading to damage and health risks.
Mold thrives on:
- Wood
- Carpets
- Food
- It reproduces by spores that spread through the air, increasing the potential for health issues.
- If your home has experienced water damage due to:
- Flooding
- Sewage backup
- Plumbing or roof leaks
- Damp basements or crawl spaces
- Sink or bathtub overflows
- High humidity (from steam cooking, dryer vents, humidifiers)
You should:
- Inspect and assess your home for signs of mold and mildew.
- Act quickly to address any moisture issues.
- Dry out and clean up mold damage following proper remediation procedures.
- Control and prevent mold growth by managing moisture levels in your home.
- Remember, while you can’t eliminate all molds and spores indoors, you can take steps to limit their growth.
For more information on mold and mildew awareness, check out: FEMA Mold Brochure here: https://ow.ly/kNHZ50TKkjh and refer to local resources or your health department. Let’s keep our homes safe and healthy!
Cleaning Up Safely After a Disaster
Ensure you have the right safety gear: hard hats, goggles, N95 Masks, heavy work gloves, waterproof boots with steel toe and insole, earplugs if working with noisy equipment, and at least two fire extinguishers. Safety Guidelines Here
Protecting Your Respiratory Health During Disaster Clean-Up
Mold can cause many health effects. Protect your lungs from mold by wearing a respirator while cleaning up your flooded home. If there is mold in your home (or you suspect that mold growth has occurred), protect your mouth and nose against breathing in mold by wearing at least a disposable, NIOSH-approved N-95 filtering facepiece respirator (often called an “N-95 respirator” or “N-95 mask”).
Do not use ovens, burners, grills to heat indoor spaces. Generators should operate only outside of a home and away from open doors, windows and vents by at least 20 feet. Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide: headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, confusion, loss of consciousness. Seek fresh air immediately and contact 911 if you need medical assistance. Be sure your carbon monoxide alarms are working. Safety Guidelines Here.
Hazard Mitigation
Buncombe County residents can receive funding to make their homes more resilient through home projects that reduce the long-term risk and impacts of natural hazards, such as floods, wildfires, and storms.
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is FEMA-funded but is executed by the State and the County.
Through the program, there are three home or property projects including elevation, home mitigation reconstruction, and acquisition.
1. The elevation project raises the home as is, demolishes the old foundation, and builds a new foundation that raises the first floor approximately 2 feet above the 100-year flood elevation. In this project, the homeowner is provided temporary lodging while work is done on the home, nothing is moved out of the home.
2. The mitigation reconstruction project is used when it is determined a home cannot be raised due to the home’s instability. The program will move out all the household furnishings and store them, provide temporary lodging, demolish the old home, build a new foundation at 2 feet above 100-year flood elevation and build a new home on the foundation. These are contractor grade homes, no custom furnishings.
3. The acquisition project buys the property from the homeowner, at the value of the property the day prior to the disaster, once the homeowner relocates, the home is demolished, and the property remains as greenspace into perpetuity.
In all 3 of these projects, FEMA provides 75% of the cost and the state pays the 25% match, there is no cost to the homeowner.
The program does not have an income requirement and is intended to assist all of those impacted by the disaster.
Participation in the program is entirely voluntary. Applications can be made online and in-person. While in-person applications will be taken until Friday at 6 p.m., the program is ongoing, and applications can be filled out online.
To apply online, complete the 5-minute Grant Information Request and then follow instructions from a follow-up email.
To apply in-person, visit the Asheville Mall through this Friday (November 15, 2024) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Staff will be on-site to answer questions and accept applications. No appointment is necessary.
Lithium Ion Batteries Fire Hazard
Please notify your local fire department if you believe that lithium-ion batteries that might have been exposed to flooding are in your home or garage, especially those found in devices such as E-bikes, golf carts and electric vehicles. Lithium ion batteries that have been exposed to possible damage need to be properly disposed of.
• Place flood damaged lithium-ion powered products in metal or non-combustible tubs and keep at least 6 feet away from debris and structures.
• Do not put lithium-ion battery-powered products in with storm debris for pick up.
• Never put lithium-ion batteries inside garbage or recycle carts or bins.
Debris Collection Update
Storm debris removal is critical for community safety and there continues to be a sense of urgency about debris removal. The longer storm debris remains in our neighborhoods and business areas, the longer we are living with fire and safety hazards. Storm debris removal is also critical to businesses reopening and economic recovery. Temporary sites are necessary to process and ultimately remove debris from our community. Temporary sites will be diligently monitored for safety and compliance with environmental regulations.The debris removal strategy will continue to be dynamic and we will keep pivoting, when possible, as we are able to secure additional sites. We want to have as few impacts on neighborhoods and business areas as possible. Safety will remain at the forefront of every decision and we remain committed to outreach and information sharing in residential and business neighborhoods near any temporary site. The activities at temporary sites include: debris staging, grinding, compacting and preparation for hauling to a permanent site outside of the city. No toxic hazardous materials will be brought to temporary sites. Temporary sites will receive construction and demolition materials, appliances, electronics, and vegetative material. Some designated areas will also serve as temporary sites for vehicles and household hazardous waste (HHW), which includes normal household items like household cleaning chemicals, paint, and small propane tanks. HHW will be contained to prevent leaching into soil.
- Hardesty Lane Site - this site is permitted and is actively being utilized by the contractor
- Enka Commerce Park Site - this site is actively permitted and being utilized by the contractor
- Julian Shoals – this site is permitted and is actively being utilized by the contractor
- 65 Ford Street - will only be used if needed. With the exception of vegetative debris, storm debris on this site will be removed.
- Front 9 of the Municipal Golf Course - will only be used if needed.
More information on storm debris processing sites can be found at www.ashevillenc.gov/helene/debris-removal
Please separate your debris into these categories:
- Construction (building materials, dry wall, lumber, carpet, furniture plumbing)
- Appliances (refrigerator, washer/dryer, air conditioner, stove, water heater, dishwasher,
- Electronics (television, computer, stereo, phone, dvd player)
- Vegetative (tree branches, logs, leaves and plants)
- Hazardous (oil, battery, pesticide, paint, cleaning supplies, compressed gas)
Important:
- Do not place or lean debris near or on trees, poles or other structures. This includes fire hydrants, meters, and curbside trash carts.
- Do not block the roadway. Ensure access for large trucks & emergency vehicles.
- THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE PASSES AND COLLECTIONS - you do not have to have it all out at once.
- Do not attempt the cleanup process without proper protective equipment: long pants, safety glasses, gloves and sturdy shoes are recommended.
- Contractor cannot collect directly from private property. However, if your pile starts at the curb in the right-of-way and stretches into your yard in a continuous manner, their equipment can reach about 18’, as long as there are no overhead lines or obstructions.
- Household Trash should be bagged. Regular sanitation routes will begin on Monday, October 14. Beginning October 14, trash and recycling should be separated into their appropriate carts.
- Storm Debris does not need to be bagged and can be placed in a pile.
(10/30/24) Debris cleanup continues in Buncombe County. Today, trucks will be in zones E, G, and H as shown in this map. Those zones are located in the southeast areas of the County including Fairview, Black Mountain, and Swannanoa. By the end of the week, debris pick up trucks will expand to zone D which is in the northeast area of the county including Barnardsville. Residents in these areas, which once again include the southeast and northeast sections of the County including Fairview, Black Mountain, Swannanoa, and Barnardsville, should get as much of their debris to the right-of-ways as possible. Keep in mind that this is a first pass and there will be multiple passes, so do not worry if trucks have come by your area, they will come by again and again. Storm debris pickup will take a long time with the amount of debris the storm created.
Buncombe County is currently hiring to help with debris removal efforts https://www.debrisjobs.com/
As of this morning (11/18), over 174,000 cubic yards of debris have been collected in Buncombe County. Currently, there are 39 trucks Running in Buncombe County, removing debris from all zones in the County.
The Private Property Debris Removal program is active with an official launch on Tuesday, November 19.The online application option is live and folks can call the OneBuncombe call center with questions about debris. That number is 828 250 6100.
More information on this program will be provided tomorrow (11/19) where we will have our recovery partner, Tetra Tech, to provide an update on these application intake features.
Tree/Debris Removal
- Jai Fai - cuts down trees but needs help: (475) 422-1292
- Crisis Clean Up, (844)965-1386. We will connect you with volunteers from local relief organizations who may be able to assist with: Muck Out, Trees, Tarp, Debris. All services are free, but service is not guaranteed due to the overwhelming need. Volunteers work free of charge and provide the tools and equipment necessary to complete the work.
PERSONAL FIRES/BURNING
Due to current high fire risks and potential impacts to the air we breathe, the Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency and area fire chiefs are encouraging residents to not burn storm debris and allow it to be picked up for free and disposed of by the municipality.
Many residents and businesses are turning to open burning as a means of disposal, but as our region dries out, our fire chiefs and our Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency urge community members NOT to burn. Storm debris collection is beginning, so please use the collection services that are offered. Today, debris collection trucks will be in Swannanoa, Barnardsville, and outside of Woodfin.
For storm debris that is being gathered with the intention of conducting open burning including the use of air curtain burners, permission is required by the Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency and there are certain requirements that must be met. Please contact the Agency at 828-250-6777, airquality@buncombecounty.org, or abairquality.org. Never burn synthetic materials or trash.
If you determine that you absolutely must burn, help prevent wildfires by following this guidance from our fire marshal:
- Keep debris burning to small, three-foot in diameter and height piles.
- Do not ever leave a fire unattended.
- Have a method of extinguish a fire: water, dirt/sand, motorized equipment, or fire extinguisher.
- Keep all burn areas clear of any combustible debris or vegetation.
- Stay 25 feet or more from structures and all wooded areas.
- We have increased this recommendation from 15 feet based our current conditions.
*This information is analyzed daily by the “fire weather forecast” as published by the NC Forest service. We are constantly monitoring the conditions and the forecast.
Reminder that burning debris is never allowed in municipalities.
Burning within Asheville city limits is never permitted.
If you must burn, the Agency would like to remind residents that the burning of leaves, brush, and yard trimmings is permitted on burning days between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., however the burning of household trash, building materials, asphaltic materials, cardboard, processed wood, and papers is always prohibited. Burning is also always prohibited in the City of Asheville. To find out if it is a burning day, please call 828-250-6767 or go to www.abairquality.org.
Storm Debris Open Burning
Under the state of emergency, and in order to dispose of material generated as a result of a natural disaster, permitting requirements for open burning storm-related debris can be waived. Permission is required, and a request can be made by providing written notification to the Director of Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency Ashley Featherstone that there is no other practical method of disposal of the waste. The request should also include the type of material being burned, an approximate amount, the location of the burning, and nature of the combustible sources.
Recent legislation passed by the State of North Carolina states that the following storm debris materials are allowed to be burned from now until March 31, 2025:
- Any solid and engineered wood products
- Vegetative land-clearing debris
- Yard trash (solid waste consisting solely of vegetative matter resulting from landscaping maintenance)
The Director will not grant permission for the burning if the primary purpose of the fire is to dispose of synthetic materials, refuse, or recovery of salvageable materials. Materials NOT allowed to be burned include inert debris such as asphalt shingles, tar paper, insulation, drywall, concrete, bricks or glass, tires, wire, plastics, refuse, dangerous, or hazardous materials.
Burning of storm debris must comply with the following conditions:
- Wind direction at the time of the burning and forecasted that day by the National Weather Service is away from any area, including public roads with 250 feet.
- The location of the burning is at least 500 feet from any occupied dwelling or commercial structure not located on the property on which the burning is conducted.
- A signed, written statement waving objections to the burning from residents within 500 feet may be obtained and the exception must be granted by the Director
- Initial burning begins only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., and no combustible material is added to the fire from 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. the following day.
- No fires are initiated or vegetation is added to existing fires when the North Carolina Forest Service or a Buncombe County Fire Marshall has banned burning for that area.
- No fires are initiated or vegetation is added to existing fires when the Agency’s air quality forecast area has been forecasted by the North Carolina Division of Air Quality to be in an Air Quality Action Day Code “Orange or above.
- To find out if it is a burning day, please call 828-250-6767 or go to www.abairquality.org.
Reminder that burning debris is never allowed in municipalities.
Burning within Asheville city limits is never permitted.
Clean Up Efforts
- Debris removal, muck and gut, mold sanitation, 828-712-7040, @allhandsandhearts
- Mold treatment, 828STRONG or 423-523-4410
- Crisis Clean Up, (844)965-1386. We will connect you with volunteers from local relief organizations who may be able to assist with: Muck Out, Trees, Tarp, Debris. All services are free, but service is not guaranteed due to the overwhelming need. Volunteers work free of charge and provide the tools and equipment necessary to complete the work.
Construction Supplies
- Ace Hardware (800 Fairview Road)
- Ace Hardware (10/1) 812 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804
- Henderson Home Depot taking cards, has porta potties
- Large Squeegee for the floor was being sold for .01 at Home Depot on Oakley yesterday. They were all super helpful.
Cleanup Supplies
- 10/6 and ongoing, every day. 11am to 5pm. The RailYard. 141 Richardson Blvd. Free cleaning supplies. Also: free hot meals; bottled water; misc supplies such as dry food, diapers/baby supplies, pet food, etc. (Source: 10/6 Facebook)
- 10/5 2pm to 5pm. Asheville High School. 419 McDowell St. Free cleaning supplies. Also: water, baby supplies, toiletries. (Source: 10/5, Facebook page.)
- 10/4 thru 10/6. 12pm to 5pm. Citizen Vinyl. 14 O’Henry Ave. Free shovels. Also: free meals; water; baby supplies; kids activities; music. Source: Instagram
Home Building and Repair
- The Tzu Chi Foundation, a partner of the American Red Cross, is providing emergency financial assistance to households in Buncombe County that were destroyed or severely damaged by Hurricane Helene. Residents whose primary homes were impacted by Hurricane Helene can apply by November 8: https://tzuchi.us/hurricanes-relief-nc
- Obsidian Homes- Chris Givens 910-234-8478 www.obsidianhomesnc.com. I will be up there as soon as they allow us in to help!
- Mystic Grain LLC– mysticgrainwoodwork@gmail.com My name is Benjamin White and I am a skilled handyman/carpenter. My work partner and I are hoping to help assist those in need of home repairs at an ethical price or work with those who are beginning to receive insurance payments for needed repairs. We are committed to relief and those who are trying to save their homes. We would also like to do some pro bono work where and when we can. https://www.mysticgrain.com/
Services include but are not limited to:
- General Handyman Needs
- Demo Work Residential Renovations
- Interior and Exterior Trim
- Framing
- Siding
- Window & Door Installation
- Flooring Cabinetry Installation
- Painting & Refinishing
Homeowner Grant Program
The Buncombe County Homeowner Grant program for Buncombe County residents will close this Friday. Applications can be obtained at buncombecounty.org/homeownergrant or by calling (828) 250-5500. Phone support is available in any language.
Qualified homeowners can receive financial assistance for housing-related costs such as property tax bills and other housing costs including mortgage, or homeowner’s insurance.
Geotagged Dangerous Situation Reporting
To report dangerous situations such as road blockages and landslides utilize this Buncombe County Form:
Road Clearing
- 10/3, AM: MILLS RIVER–Free supplies available at Calvary Chapel, located at 5516 Boylston Highway, Mills River, NC 28759 We have been blessed with canned foods, fresh & packaged fruit, snacks, breads, water, diapers, baby food & formula, clothes, towels, cleaning supplies, etc. Meals being served. We are open from 10am to 4pm. We also have crews ready to clear out downed trees if you have a need for assistance. Contact via FB Messenger as phone lines are clogged
Heavy Equipment
- Text +1 (828) 712 7380 if in need of heavy equipment to move any downed/immobile objects. (added 10/2 at 12:32 PM, information via live 99.9 radio)
Archive–Staff use only
Volunteers will be at Asheville Tool Library, 16 Smith Mill Rd, repairing tools and generators 10/7, 10am - 12pm