June 17, 2026

Drink your cares away in Asheville

Trees downed by Helene reborn as beer barrels

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Print to read
Downed wood from Hurricane Helene has found a new life as beer barrels
Downed wood from Hurricane Helene has found a new life as beer barrels
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By Emma Castleberry
Avatar photo
By Emma Castleberry
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After Hurricane Helene ripped through western North Carolina in September 2024, among the many burdens of recovery were literal tons of downed wood.

The N.C. Forest Service estimates the storm resulted in about 822,000 acres of tree damage, concentrated in the mountain counties of Avery, Buncombe, McDowell, Mitchell, Henderson, and Yancey. 

 
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