If you live in the the Carolinas or parts of Tennessee, you are probably experiencing breathing problems or even asthma due to a large plume of smoke created by eight wildfires in the western mountains of North Carolina.

And the smoke has not let up since the beginning of the fires.

Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes to get to a safer location, thanks to firefighters from all over the state going door-to-door in efforts to warn residents in the affected areas. And in some counties, evacuation is mandatory.

Experts say the fires are unpredictable, and the strong winds are not helping at all. They are just sparking new fires at an alarming rate, as frequent as every day there are new fires popping up.

Chapman High School Athletic Director Greg Wilson stated that the air quality is being closely monitored by the district, and so far it has not an issue.

“We are very fortunate to not have the full effect of the smoke that some areas do, and we have not had to delay any sporting events so far,” Wilson said.

But not all areas are as fortunate as we are. Pickens County has had to delay school altogether due to the smoke in the area and also had to cancel sporting events.

Not only does the smoke make breathing more difficult, the awful smell makes it unpleasant to be outside.

Gatlinburg, TN is an area hit hard by the wildfires, including many homes completely devastated by the fires.

Part of the well-known “Dollywood” theme park also sustained damages during the fires, but they have reported that it is nothing substantial, and they will reopen as soon as time allows.