Recently, much of Western North Carolina has been dealing with several wildfires and large amounts of smoke in the air. The air quality has been so low that many sporting events and outdoor activities have been cancelled, including practices, games, and PE classes. When asked about the effects of the fires, Luke Manuel said, “The smoke and poor air quality have definitely taken a toll on the entire school community. It’s tough having to limit outdoor activities, but safety comes first. We know this impacts everyone, and we’re all hoping for clearer skies soon. We appreciate the efforts of our fire departments and fire fighters in battling the forest fires.” The smoke from the Polk County and Table rock fires has been hanging over Henderson county for over a week now, and many are evacuating their homes. Currently, North and South Carolina are implementing state-wide burn bans, and it could be a while before the ban is lifted.