The North Carolina Forest Service is warning of elevated wildfire risk throughout much of the state, including the Piedmont and High Country.
Recent forecasts of high temperatures and less moisture in the air contributed to the new warning. Add plenty of fuel like dry grass and brush on the ground and gusty winds, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for fire to ignite and spread rapidly.
North Carolina Forest Service Public Information Officer Philip Jackson says 99% of wildfires in the state are due to human activity, and the leading culprit is careless debris burning.
"That is the biggest issue that we see, is folks will light a fire," he says. "They leave that fire unattended. And when you're not with your fire, you're not monitoring it with a rake or a shovel, keeping it in the burn area, and you're not standing there with a water source in case your fire gets a little crazy, ultimately it's going to escape when you're not there."
Officials are urging residents to avoid burning. But if you must, Jackson says, get a valid permit either online or in person from your local Forest Service office, and be sure to check the weather forecast before you start your fire.