Biltmore Estate announces plans to reopen for the holidays after Hurricane Helene

Three weeks after the remnants of Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina, leaving devastation in its path, the famed Biltmore Estate announced plans to reopen for the holidays.

The tourist attraction, located near the hard-hit city of Asheville, said it plans to reopen on Nov. 2 in an effort to "provide critical support" to the surrounding community.

The mountain region relies heavily on tourism, with fall marking its peak season for visitors. But recovery efforts to restore the towns ravaged by unprecedented storm damage are ongoing.

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"For more than 125 years, Biltmore has been a witness to the resilience of this community," the estate said in an Instagram post on Saturday. "The compassion and resolve of our region have been rising every day from beneath the weight of this storm."

Power, water and internet services are still slowly being restored to the towns and surrounding counties. Some are still under boil water notices.

A portion of Interstate 40 that stretches across western North Carolina remains closed after it collapsed during the storm. The North Carolina Department of Transportation said repairs will require several billion dollars, but there is no estimated date for reopening the major highway.