State officials reopen burn permitting in most counties effective 8:00 a.m. Sunday, while 19 counties remain under restrictions.
The N.C. Forest Service lifted the statewide open burning ban for 81 counties effective 8:00 a.m. today, Sunday, May 3rd. Following several days of rainfall and improving fire conditions across much of North Carolina, the agency said the decision was based on reduced wildfire risk and updated assessments of fuel moisture levels.
19 counties remain under the state-issued ban, primarily in the Piedmont and Sandhills regions where fire danger continues to be elevated.
Those counties include Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stanly, Stokes, and Union.
The Forest Service said it will continue monitoring conditions and will lift restrictions in those counties when it is safe to do so.
With the ban lifted in most of North Carolina, burn permits are once again available through the N.C. Forest Service’s online system and at authorized permitting locations. All permits issued before the statewide ban began on March 28 were automatically canceled and must be reissued.
State officials emphasized that the lifting of the ban does NOT override local ordinances.
Open burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling remains regulated by county and municipal fire marshals, and some jurisdictions may maintain their own restrictions based on local conditions.
Residents are encouraged to check with their local fire authority before conducting any outdoor burn.
The Forest Service continues to urge caution, noting that escaped debris burns remain the leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina. The agency recommends monitoring weather conditions, keeping burn piles small, avoiding burning on windy days, and staying with the fire until it is fully extinguished.
Source:
NC Forest Service
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