Some relief arrived Sunday for Western North Carolina residents frustrated by weeks of fire restrictions. The N.C. Forest Service lifted its statewide open burn ban for 81 counties, including all Western North Carolina counties, effective 8 a.m. May 3. But state and local officials are urging caution: the drought that prompted the ban in the first place is not going away anytime soon.
The ban had been in effect since March 28, when hazardous forest fire conditions prompted the Forest Service to cancel nearly 18,000 burn permits statewide.
"The recent rainfall has provided some relief and has moderated fire danger enough for us to lift the ban on open burning in 81 counties," Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a press release. "However, we're still in the thick of spring wildfire season when conditions can change quickly and frequently. We still need rain to move us forward with drought recovery."
One important caveat: The 100-foot rule
The state lift does not automatically clear all burning restrictions. Burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling falls under the authority of local fire marshals, not the state. In Buncombe County, fire marshal officials announced they are also lifting its local restriction starting 8 a.m. Sunday. Residents in other counties should check with their local fire marshal before burning near structures.
To burn legally, people must obtain a new burn permit. All permits issued before the ban was enacted were canceled when it took effect. Permits are available online at apps.ncagr.gov/burnpermits or through any authorized permitting agent. Buncombe County residents with questions can call the Open Burning Hotline at 828-250-6767 or visit buncombenc.gov.
The drought remains serious
Troxler cautioned that the burn ban lift should not be read as an all-clear. The latest drought map, released April 28, shows Western North Carolina remains solidly in extreme drought, the second-most severe category, and conditions across the state actually worsened over the past week with extreme drought expanding further into the Piedmont and central North Carolina.
"With the persistent drought, it's important for all of us to use extreme caution when handling potential ignition sources such as machinery and motorized equipment," Troxler said. "When in doubt, lean on your N.C. Forest Service county ranger's office for guidance and best practices."
For questions about your specific county, contact your local N.C. Forest Service county ranger at ncforestservice.gov/contacts. For more on what the drought means for Western North Carolina, read our previous coverage here.
For ongoing updates, check your local drought status at ncdrought.org, track fire danger forecasts at climate.ncsu.edu/fire, and sign up for weekly drought updates at go.ncsu.edu/droughtlist.
