Concerns about an "armed militia" prompted federal emergency response workers in North Carolina's Rutherford County to evacuate on Saturday, according to reports.
The U.S. Forest Service, which is collaborating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene, issued a message at around 1 p.m., advising all responders to "stand down and evacuate the county immediately," The Washington Post reported.
The evacuation order followed an incident where National Guard troops encountered two trucks of militia members claiming they were "hunting FEMA." Incident management teams were alerted, and personnel in the area were instructed to evacuate. While the authenticity of the email was confirmed by two federal officials, it remains unclear whether the threat was deemed credible.
An unnamed Forest Service official stated that workers were relocated to a safe area, and some recovery efforts were paused. By Sunday afternoon, personnel had returned to resume their operations. FEMA, the Forest Service, and the National Guard have yet to comment publicly on the situation.
The incident underscores growing concerns for the safety of government workers in North Carolina, which has been devastated by Hurricane Helene since its landfall on September 26. In addition to the physical damage, misinformation has fueled unrest, with false claims circulating online that FEMA intended to seize and bulldoze parts of the region, including the town of Chimney Rock.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell condemned the spread of misinformation, stating it demoralizes staff working on the ground. "That type of rhetoric is demoralizing to our staff," Criswell said, urging cooperation as federal and local workers continue to assist those affected by the disaster.
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