Burning ban is lifted statewide
Recent rains across the state have allowed the N.C. Division of
Forest Resources to lift its ban on open burning for all 100 counties
in North Carolina.
The statewide ban on open burning, which was implemented Aug. 21, was
cancelled effective noon Tuesday.
Officials with the Division of Forest Resources decided to lift the
burning ban because of last Friday's storm that dumped several inches
of rain across the state. While recent rainfall and lower
temperatures have reduced the fire danger, this small amount of
precipitation has not ended drought conditions the state is facing.
Residents should be especially careful as meteorological conditions
could cause North Carolina to continue having warmer temperatures and
below normal rainfall during the upcoming fire season. Officials are
warning that if the drought continues, and there is an increase in
the number of wildfires, the ban on open burning could be reinstated.
NCDFR officials are issuing burning permits again. If people are
going to burn, they need to take precautions because fires can still
escape, causing catastrophic disasters.
Based on North Carolina's open burning laws, the Division of Forest
Resources offered these tips to landowners:
Make sure you have an approved burning permit. You can obtain a
burning permit at any Division of Forest Resources' office, a county-
approved burning permit agent, or online at www.dfr.state.nc.us.
Check with your county fire marshal's office for local laws on
burning debris. Some communities allow burning only during specified
hours; others forbid it entirely.
Outdoor burning is prohibited in areas covered by Code Orange or
Code Red air quality forecasts.
Check the weather. Don't burn if conditions are dry or windy.
Consider alternatives to burning. Some yard debris such as leaves
and grass may be more valuable if composted.
Only burn natural vegetation from your property. Burning household
trash or any other man-made materials is illegal.
Trash should be hauled away to a convenience center.
Plan burning for the late afternoon when conditions are typically
less windy and more humid.
If you must burn, be prepared. Use a shovel or hoe to clear a
perimeter around the area around where you plan to burn.
Keep fire tools ready. To control the fire, you will need a hose,
bucket, a steel rake and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire. Never
use flammable liquids such as kerosene, gasoline or diesel fuel to
speed debris burning.
Stay with your fire until it is completely out. In North Carolina,
human carelessness leads to more wildfires than any other cause. In
fact, debris burning is the No. 1 cause of wildfires in North Carolina.
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