The Dare County Control Group has ordered a mandatory evacuation for all visitors throughout all of Dare County effective 8:00 a.m., Thursday, August 25.
All visitors are urged to make preparations and leave the area. Dare County Emergency Management urges visitors to take all personal belongings with them during evacuation. Other preparation steps are available at www.ReadyNC.org and www.darenc.com
Although the mandatory evacuation order is for all Dare County visitors, residents are advised to take proper precautions and make general storm preparations. This effort should include securing all loose items outdoors. Monitor local news outlets for further advisories from the National Weather Service and state and local emergency management officials.
The Dare County Control Group will meet again on Thursday, August 25 after the 5:00 p.m. storm advisory has been issued by the National Hurricane Center. Further evacuations should be anticipated as Irene moves closer to the Outer Banks.
At this time there are no new reentry stickers being issued. The previously issued stickers, for 2008/2009, are still valid. Residents can also use a North Carolina driver’s license showing a Dare County address. Property owners may use a Dare County tax bill with proper identification for reentry.
A high rip current risk remains in effect, through Thursday evening, south of Rodanthe, NC.
All NPS Campgrounds, Ocracoke, Frisco, Cape Point and Oregon Inlet, closed at noon today and the reservation system has been temporarily suspended. The Silver Lake Marina NPS docks closed at noon today and the Ocracoke Visitor Center, Hatteras Island, Bodie Island and Wright Brothers and Fort Raleigh Visitor Centers will remain open until close of business today and then will remain closed until further notice.
Previously scheduled evening programs for August 24 are cancelled. Lifeguard beach operations at Ocracoke, Buxton, and Coquina Beach closed at 5:00 p.m. today until further notice.
The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse closed at 6:00 p.m. today until further notice. All park special programs scheduled for Founder’s Day, Thursday, August 25th, have been cancelled. Regularly scheduled Fall Interpretive programming will resume after the storm passes the area.
The Flags Over Hatteras event, scheduled for August 25-28, has been postponed until further notice.
Ocracoke beaches are closed to off-road vehicles and all other beaches in the National Seashore will close to off-road vehicles by 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 25th.
Dare County garbage pickup will be done on a regular basis through Friday, August 26.
The Town of Nags Head will collect ALL residential trash on Friday, August 26. There will be will no residential or commercial trash collection on Saturday, August 27. The recycling trailers located at Nags Head Town Hall and at the Huron Street public beach access will be not be available until after Hurricane Irene has passed. All commercial recycling is suspended until after the storm. The bulk item/brush drop off yard located across from Nags Head Public Works will be closed Saturday, August 27.
Updates and bulletins will be issued on an as needed basis and will be available on www.darenc.com and Government Access Channel 20.
As soon as we have more information available, we will post a message on our Facebook page and here on our Blog site.
www.facebook.com/surforsound and https://hatterasblog.surforsound.com/