Search for possible stranded hiker near Douglas Falls

Heard on: Buncombe County Fire and EMS

01:16

This transcript is auto-generated from live dispatch audio and may be incomplete or inaccurate. It is not an official report and may change.

00:00

If you talk to this again, it's going to have walked back towards the base or center half.

00:05

Then start walking back towards the call.

00:06

It's going to be a short distance for us to get to them.

00:08

If not, her cell phone will be.

00:15

Understood, copy that.

00:16

I think the other thing that is jamming us up on this is the call party was trying to get off the phone quickly.

00:22

They said they only had 21% battery life left.

00:34

Communications from FM 41, you show me en route to vehicle fire on I-40.

00:44

Tax 16 on scene.

00:51

Sixteen

00:56

27 . Is there anything about how many people they had in their group?

01:05

I believe it's just a one person at this time.

01:08

Just one.

01:11

Okay, were you able to get a hold of them to see if they were turning around to come back towards Douglas Falls?

8/3/2026 01:02 PM

Missing Person

Douglas Falls, Barnardsville, NC 28709

Not official report. AI-generated from public dispatch audio. Always verify with official sources.

As discussed during the dispatch call, radio traffic indicates a possible search for a single hiker near the Douglas Falls base area, with limited cell phone battery and responders planning to walk toward the caller’s last known location.