Helene and WNC: 6 months later

Asheville, North Carolina - All photos made March 25, 2025 by Sean Rayford for Getty Images (unless noted oterwise)

Most parts of Western North Carolina don’t look or smell like disaster zones — but some areas still do. As the six month anniversary of Hurricane Helene’s impacts on the area, I spent Monday afternoon and early evening documenting the Asheville area.

I spent the morning with wildfires along the Green River in nearby Polk County. And yesterday, I was stradding teh Carolina’s border photographing the Table Rock Complex fire.

Asheville, NC - Photos on the left made on Oct 27, 2024 / On the right, March 25, 2025

Sean RayfordMarch 27, 2025