ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Winter Storm Fern has forced the cancellation of classes across Buncombe County as icy conditions and power outages continue to affect Western North Carolina.

Buncombe County Schools announced Sunday afternoon that all schools will be closed Monday, Jan. 26, because of the ongoing impacts of the storm. District officials said no remote learning will be offered, and students who took home paper learning packets will not be required to complete assignments.

“Please stay safe,” the district said in a message to families.

Asheville City Schools also canceled classes for students Monday, citing hazardous road conditions and widespread power outages affecting areas where many students and staff live. The district will operate on an optional teacher workday, and all campuses will be closed.

District officials said remote learning will not be held to ensure equitable access to instructional resources amid the outages.

Asheville City Schools will use previously banked instructional hours to maintain its scheduled Parent-Teacher Conference Day on Friday, Feb. 13. Administrators said principals emphasized the importance of preserving that time for discussions with families about student progress.

Both districts said safety remains the top priority as the community continues to recover from the ice storm and related power outages.