Burn ban issued for all North Carolina counties due to hazardous forest fire conditions

Due to increased fire risk, the N.C. Forest Service issued a ban on all open burning and canceled all burning permits statewide effective at 5 p.m. Nov. 29, until further notice.

“It is fall wildfire season in North Carolina, and we are seeing wildfire activity increase due to dry conditions,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “With these ongoing conditions, a statewide burn ban is necessary to reduce the risk of fires starting and spreading quickly. Our top priority is always to protect lives, property and forestland across the state.”

Under North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning in the affected counties, regardless of whether a permit was previously issued. The issuance of any new permits has also been suspended until the ban is lifted. Anyone violating the burn ban faces a $100 fine plus $183 court costs. Any person responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire.

The statewide fire ban does not include fires within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. Orange County Fire Marshal Elizabeth Farnan extended the ban to cover the buffer within the 100 feet for the unincorporated areas of Orange County and Hillsborough.

The ban includes all burning, including but not limited to:

• Charcoal and gas grills
• Recreational burning to roast marshmallows, etc.
• Any outside “warming” fires
• Any yard debris

www.orangecountync.gov