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Dewey: As Calif. Fires Burn, Don't Forget Western N.C.

united states presidency disaster aid

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks while visiting a neighborhood affected by Hurricane Helene in Swannanoa, North Carolina, on Jan. 24, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) 

By    |   Tuesday, 28 January 2025 04:23 PM EST


OPINION

Calif. Wildfires Remind Still Much Needs to Be Done to Help N.C.

Americans everywhere have been glued to their televisions watching coverage of the devastating fires in California.

These conflagrations are yet another cruel reminder of the devastating power of Mother Nature and the fragility of human life.

No matter where you live, seeing the devastation in California is heart-breaking, for those of us in western North Carolina, however, the coverage is more than just heart-breaking. For those of us who call western North Carolina home, the California fires are an unwelcome reminder of our time in Mother Nature’s devastating bullseye.

Not only are these fires a reminder of what we faced as a region, they are a reminder of how much work is still left to be done to rebuild our neighborhoods, our communities, our cities, and our region.

Tropical Storm Helene was more than a natural disaster for western North Carolina — it was nothing short an apocalyptic event for the region.

According to a report by Carolina Public press, The costs to rebuild are staggering, over $53 billion:

"A preliminary damage and needs assessment published by the Office of the State Budget and Management on Oct. 23 estimated $48.8 billion in direct or induced damages from the storm, and recommends investing another $4.8 billion for strengthening and mitigation efforts for a total cost of $53.6 billion."

While the physical costs of rebuilding the region are astronomical, the cost in lives lost and families destroyed is unquantifiable. More than 230 people lost their lives to Helene, more than 100 in NC alone – with the vast majority coming from Buncombe County.

More than 100,000 homes were lost in western North Carolina leaving more than 200,000 people homeless.

Sadly, thousands of individuals left homeless by Helene remain homeless today – indeed western NC once again made headlines recently when FEMA threatened to displace more than 2,000 individuals living in temporary housing.

The economic impacts aren’t simply fixed costs either — they’re ongoing.

Tourism has been the engine behind western North Carolina’s growth over the last few decades. Now tourism is expected to take a major hit in 2025.

Indeed, businesses in just Asheville and Buncombe County are expected to see a loss of $585 million in visitor spending during the first quarter of 2025 alone, according to Vic Isley, the president and CEO of Explore Asheville.

The reality painted here is a bleak one but this doesn’t have to be our future. Indeed, to quote the great Albert Einstein, "in the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity."

The crisis faced by our region also provides us with an opportunity.

An opportunity, not just to rebuild western North Carolina, but rebuild in a way that grows our economy, creates jobs, and makes the area an even better place to call home.

To turn this crisis into a great opportunity, however, we need the local government, the state government, the federal government, and the private sector to work together to make the critical investments now that will build the western North Carolina of the future.

During the campaign, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were outspoken advocates for our region and outspoken critics of the federal government’s shortcomings in responding to this disaster.

Indeed, in his inaugural address, President Trump specifically mentioned the need to rebuild western North Carolina.

Now, President Trump has made western North Carolina the first place he visited as President. We thank President Trump for coming here and pledging to do everything he can to rebuild our region.

And it’s not just President Trump talking about making the critical investments needed. We are encouraged by what we heard from Secretary of Transportation nominee Sean Duffy during his confirmation hearings.

Duffy, a former Republican member of Congress from Wisconsin, said that he wants to make sure that big, long-lasting transportation projects are greenlit and completed during Trump’s second administration:

"President Trump is a builder. He has told me that this department is a top priority for him and he wants to invest in rebuilding our nation’s crumbling infrastructure.

"He asked me to focus on big, durable projects that connect our country and people."

There is no area in greater need of attention from our builder-in-chief than western North Carolina.

In the late 1880s, George Vanderbilt came upon what he thought was the perfect spot in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge mountains.

His dream was to build a 250-room great chateau in this beautiful — but hardscrabble — corner of North Carolina.

His dream became a reality in the form of the Biltmore Estate, the iconic mansion that is the crown jewel of western North Carolina today.

When it was constructed, the Biltmore estate was not only an architectural marvel, it was a technological marvel that boasted some of the first light bulbs, fire alarms, elevators, telephones and indoor plumbing.

That Vanderbilt spirit that re-shaped western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century is once again needed. With the leadership of the Trump administration and with the help of the state and local government — and in partnership with private investment — we can build the western North Carolina of the future.

Eddie Dewey is founder of Dewey Property Advisors where he oversees brokerage and acquisitions for the Firm. Eddie has transacted over 200 million in real estate brokerage, consulting and (re)development work in Greater Asheville, North Carolina.

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Politics
No matter where you live, seeing the devastation in California is heart-breaking, for those of us in western North Carolina, however, the coverage is more than just heart-breaking.
biltmore, helene, vanderbilt
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2025-23-28
Tuesday, 28 January 2025 04:23 PM
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