Asheville Fire Department: roads treated, EOC Level 4; PIT Count rescheduled

The Asheville Fire Department reported that the city moved its Emergency Operations Center to a Level 4 - Monitoring posture at 11 a.m. on Jan. 26 as crews continued treating roads for snow and ice. Public safety personnel returned to normal operations that day, with police and fire maintaining 24/7 shifts and Public Works and Water staff remaining on call outside normal business hours.

City of Asheville officials said most city government offices would reopen and resume normal hours on Jan. 27. Buncombe County likewise announced a return toward regular services: administrative offices, libraries, and parks were scheduled to reopen at noon on Jan. 27, the landfill and transfer station were set to return to normal operation at 8 a.m. the same day, and the Buncombe County Courthouse was to operate on its regular schedule on Jan. 27. FCC Environmental reported a one-day collection delay.

Homeless services remained a top priority through the storm response. The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care activated Code Purple around Jan. 23 and expected to continue operations through the weekend, and the Asheville Fire Department REST team was staffed 24/7 to assist unhoused individuals through the weekend. Code Purple and Winter Shelters offer emergency overflow beds with fewer requirements than typical programming, and Code Purple Operations Coordinators can be reached at (828) 785-4855.

Transit and utilities were in recovery mode. Asheville ART buses were scheduled to resume service at 1 p.m. on Monday following weather-related delays. John Harbin, Asheville Fire Department communications specialist, said most routes would operate as scheduled, with any delays or detours being communicated through iRide alerts. Power outages in the region trended downward that morning. Duke Energy reported Henderson County outages fell from more than 13,000 at 7 a.m. to 11,619 by 10:15 a.m., with an estimated restoration time of 8 a.m. on Jan. 29. A ReadyNC outage map screenshot at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 26 showed Transylvania County with nearly 3,000 outages and Buncombe County with 2,343 outages.

Buncombe County's local state of emergency was set to end at 6 p.m. on Monday, and both Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools announced a remote learning day for Jan. 27. National coverage included an interview segment with Jeremy Knighton, Asheville assistant fire chief, on The National News Desk.

County public information officer Dillon Huffman thanked partners and residents for cooperating during response and recovery. He said, "County officials appreciate the cooperation of residents, staff, and partner agencies throughout the storm response and recovery efforts."

For residents, the immediate effects are practical: expect normal municipal services to resume on Jan. 27, check iRide for transit alerts, consult ReadyNC or your utility for outage updates, and reach (828) 785-4855 for Code Purple shelter information. Organizers have indicated the annual Point-in-Time homeless count was rescheduled; contact the Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care or Code Purple coordinators for the updated schedule and shelter details as recovery continues.