North Carolina issues statewide burn ban until further notice

A statewide burn ban went into effect Saturday, March 28, until further notice. The North Carolina Forest Service issued the ban due to dangerous forest fire conditions. 

The ban prohibits open burning across all 100 counties, even for burning permit holders.

According to WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels, since Sept. 1, 2025, we're more than 10 inches below average on rainfall.

"With drought severity across the state, forecast fire weather and the potential for limited rainfall, it is critical to reduce the number of new fire starts," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "Vegetative fuels will dry rapidly, and with the amount of fuel loading in the mountains and drought impacts statewide, a burn ban for all 100 counties is necessary to reduce the number of wildfires across our landscape."

Open burning includes burning leaves, branches or other plant material. Any burns started outside 100 feet of an occupied building are not permitted. Anyone who violates the burn ban could face a $100 fine, in addition to court fees and expenses to put out the fire.

"Any ignition source at this point is subject to spread quickly and become catastrophic," Philip Jackson with the North Carolina Forest Service said. "[Fires] have the potential to get much worse, given this prolonged drought, with very little relief in sight in terms of rainfall in the form of inches, which is what we really need at this point."

Jackson said crews are battling several brush fires in western North Carolina, including in Wilkes County, where the Cane Creek fire has prompted evacuations and burned more than 600 acres. Crews also battled flames in Hoke, Robeson and Moore counties in recent days. 

In Wake County, Knightdale firefighters used specialized equipment called a brush truck to put out flames after a mobile home fire spread to nearby trees on Bodie Island Lane. 

"Our brush truck's able to get off-road since it's a lot lighter than our typical fire engines and get to those hard-to-reach brush fires," Knightdale Fire Captain Michael Miller said.

Grills and barbecues can still be used, but campfires are banned. The N.C. Forest Service recommends using portable gas stoves or grills when cooking outside.

Residents with questions about local burn rules can call their county fire marshal's office or the N.C. Forest Service.

Several counties have implemented their own burn bans, which often times ban all outdoor burning:

• Chatham
• Cumberland
• Durham
• Edgecombe
• Franklin
• Halifax
• Harnett
• Lee
• Moore
• Nash
• Orange
• Person
• Warren