What you need to know from the March 25 Asheville City Council meeting.

Higher humidity and rain gave firefighters an upper hand against wildfire blazes across the region.

The Green Bank for Rural America was hoping to fund clean energy projects in Helene-impacted communities.

The county’s January unemployment rate was up slightly from December’s 6% and more than double the rate of 3% a year earlier.

To help pay for upgrades, Asheville City Council is considering a rate hike increase, which it will vote on April 8.

The Black Cove and Fish Hook fires started because of downed power lines after strong winds last week. The cause of the Deep Woods fire is still under investigation in Polk County.

This month marks five years since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. BPR is taking a look back at the effects of the pandemic in Western North Carolina through our COVID in Appalachia Oral History project.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week shifting responsibility for disaster preparations to state and local governments. U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, who represents the state’s 16 westernmost counties, told BPR he “fully supports the decision.”

Three fires continue to burn, fueled by debris and dry conditions.

About one in five Americans is on Medicaid. In North Carolina, more than 3 million people are enrolled in some form of the program.