TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The wildfires tearing through the Carolinas have communities reeling.

Firefighters from across the country are battling the blaze and their work to contain the flames isn’t over yet.

Western North Carolina was already hit hard by Hurricane Helene last September and the recovery has been slow and difficult.

Residents had to endure severe winter storms, and many are worried the wildfires will force them to start over once again.

Thousands of acres in the Carolinas have been torched by the relentless rage of wildfires ripping through the region.

Adrian Mines, senior community disaster program manager for the Red Cross of North Carolina, spoke to 8 On Your Side about the latest conditions and how the community is coping with another tragedy.

“It’s something you hope you don’t have to live through,” Mines said. “I hope I never have to experience this again. We know that the only way we can move forward is leaning on each other.”

Mines is familiar with emergency response after spending three weeks in Fort Myers to assist with relief shelters after Hurricane Ian made landfall in 2022.

However, seeing his hometown in shambles has been devastating.

“We are struggling,” Mines said. “It’s difficult. It’s hard. It’s not easy, but we are very strong, and we realize the strength of our community. The things we take for granted are completely wiped away”

Through the help of volunteers and donations, the Red Cross is able to offer resources to people in need.

The ongoing effort has been a critical component in the recovery effort.

The agency has assisted more than 100,000 people since Helene tore through the region claiming lives in its path.

Countless homes were also lost during the storm, and some people are concerned the wildfires will wipe out what they have left.

Mines says the future comes with uncertainty.

“We still do not know the damage from the wildfires because it is not fully contained,” Mines said.