It was 3 degrees here last night. Can you imagine what it was like for those living in tents and campers? I am in my van camper, and I have reflectix on the windows, clothes piled along the edges of my bed, and a doggo to keep me warm. I also have an extra heater, and the space I have to heat is WAY smaller than most campers, but similar to many of the multi person tents I see regularly. We have had cold and high winds and snow. All of it way more extreme than recent years here. AND very little donations are coming in anymore. We are supplying the United Cajun Navy and have little else left. We are all praying for donations to come in soon!
Love from Fines Creek Community Center in WNC. Brigitte
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And now we can add that FEMA is going back on their vouchers, and there are over 3500 people being booted from hotel rooms around WNC tomorrow. Just in time for the snow storm / extreme cold. 
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It appears all things fed are trying to create as much havoc as is humanly possible. It feels like behavior that calls for keen alert to everything going on in (and out of) disaster areas; and prayer.
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Compare this to the 180 days of FEMA care Californians have already been promised.
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Regarding heating tents, campers and RVs, from the beginning of the Helene aftermath I have said it might be possible that the folks with the safari type hot tents and wood burning stoves actually fair better than folks in RVs if the propane runs out. There is certainly a lot of firewood available in W. NC these daysm
Propane is costly when buying it in small bottles or via canister exchanges at stores.
One thing that would be helpful is if the utilities had some extra bandwidth to run proper electric so the RVs and Tiny homes could have real power off a power pole with a 30 or 50 amp outlet and a couple extra 110 circuits. Such would allow for using electric heat and not running extension cords.
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If you know anyone getting booted folks helping are saying to tell them to stay put not leave their hotel rooms and keep calling (either Mercury 1, Shawn Hendrix or Matt Van Swols support groups) they are telling folks stay put and reach out
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Love Mercy and several other groups sent urgent messages to the governor’s office. Seems like emergency has been pushed off a bit more for now. Several groups have mobilized and are ready to house anyone that loses the voucher status! The people of NC have rallied again and thwarted the governments efforts to create havoc again! 
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Guess who closed their offices in Western North Carolina today because it was “too dangerous to work” also, apparently FEMA tweeted that vouchers had been extended for 24 hours but neglected to tell any of the hotels themselves. You guys should listen to this report on the ground from Shawn Hendrix. He’s been doing amazing work for the people of North Carolina and been on the ground ever since the storm came advocating for victims. https://x.com/theshawnhendrix/status/1877725891364606461?s=46
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I realize the Asheville area needs tourism dollars. Frankly I would be a good target audience. My concerns about going to Asheville is where would I stay. I don’t want to take a hotel room from someone who needs it. And what roads are closed?
What is up and running enough that I won’t add to the burden but could then drive into the area and spend?
I’m not really looking for answers here, just giving you feedback on what the Asheville department of tourism needs to do.
Make me a guide, come stay in (nearby town) then come to the Thursday-Sunday community picnic, art show, garage sale type events.
I agree
I live an hour away and am unsure. My daughter works for a form in Asheville and is unsure.
They need to up the tourism info game. A nice YouTube video and some posts on X would be a great start.
I have been to Asheville once and through/ by Asheville twice since Helene. I have the same questions. It’s so much easier to go to Spartanburg, Morganton, Hickory, Shelby, Marion, or Hendersonville ( even with the detour due to Chimney rock).
And there is way more than Asheville in W NC so there is that. Many of the surrounding areas are back to normal for the most part and in reasonable driving distance for tourism purposes.
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Do you happen to know anything about how Cherokee, NC is doing? Were they hit as hard as Ashville or no?
I don’t know about Cherokee specifically. Nearby Franklin is operating normally as is Silva/Cullowhee-WNC.
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