Charlotte Speedway Campground Opens To Hurricane Evacuees

CHARLOTTE, NC — The Charlotte Motor Speedway campground is offering its facilities to evacuees fleeing the path of Hurricane Dorian as mandatory evacuations continue throughout coastal areas of the southeast.

Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia and Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina each announced mandatory evacuations for certain coastal areas of their states, to take effect at noon on Monday. Residents in Florida's most vulnerable areas were ordered to leave, too.

While North Carolina has not issued a mandatory evacuation for its coast, it has declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, which triggers the state's anti-price gouging laws and removes transportation restrictions for fuel and equipment needed to mobilize for storm cleanup.

The Rock City Campground at the speedway, which is located on Bruton Smith Boulevard in Concord, will offer free access to campsites and the bathhouse for evacuees. Evacuees seeking a spot at the facility should check in at the Camping World Racing Resort office, located at 6600 Bruton Smith Boulevard, or check in online after hours, Fox8 reported.

"There is an increasing likelihood of strong winds and dangerous storm surge along the coasts of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina later this week," the National Hurricane Center stated in its 5 p.m. Sunday forecast discussion. "Heavy rains, capable of producing life-threatening flash floods, are expected over northern portions of the Bahamas and coastal sections of the southeast and lower mid-Atlantic regions of the United States through late this week."

Patch is tracking every move of Hurricane Dorian. Get all the updates on the storm by subscribing to Patch's free breaking news alerts and daily newsletters.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued several executive orders Sunday, Sept. 1, after Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas.

The orders cover evacuations, traffic and government offices, including schools:

• Mandatory evacuations start at noon on Monday, Sept. 2, for select zones in South Carolina, the governor announced in a briefing Sunday night: Colleton Zones A and B; Beaufort Zone A; Jasper Zone A; Charleston Zones A, B and C; Dorchester Zone D; Berkeley Zones B and G; Horry Zone A; and Georgetown Zone A. Visit scemd.org to know your zone.
• Lane reversals on Interstate 26 near Charleston will start at noon Monday, and tolls will be suspended on the Cross Island Parkway at that time as well. There will be a lane reversal on US 278 in the Hilton Head area too. The idea is to help people evacuate quickly and safely.
• Schools and state government offices in these counties will be closed starting Tuesday, Sept. 3: Jasper, Beaufort, Colleton, Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry.

Drivers were encouraged to have a full tank of gas and prepare emergency kits with cash, food, medications, cell phone, flashlights and batteries.

SEE ALSO:

• Hurricane Dorian: ‘Catastrophic’ Storm Continues Path Toward NC
• Hurricane Dorian: Bahamas Battered As Storm Threatens U.S. Coast
• Some Hurricane Dorian Evacuation Routes Inadequate, Study Shows
• 7.3 Million U.S. Homes At Risk From Hurricane Storm Surge: Report
• Hurricane Dorian Now Category 5, Threatens Georgia, Carolinas

Patch Editor Feroze Dhanoa contributed