North Raleigh Today

As the spring wildfire season begins in North Carolina, the N.C. Forest Service has called on residents to exercise caution and adopt best practices when burning outdoors, particularly with yard debris. The heightened risk is partly due to storm debris from Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina counties, which has increased fuel loading from downed timber.

“We reduce our wildfire risk by working together,” stated Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. He emphasized the importance of preparedness and good decision-making in wildfire prevention and risk reduction. “Understand that you’re not powerless when it comes to wildfire prevention and risk reduction," he added.

Escaped yard debris burns remain a major cause of wildfires in the state, accounting for nearly half of all cases. Overall, human activity contributes to 99% of wildfires, as people often choose burning as a method to dispose of leaves, limbs, and other yard debris during spring.

N.C. Forest Service Assistant Commissioner and State Forester Greg Hicks highlighted careless behaviors such as unattended fires or burning on unsuitable days as significant risks: “Careless behaviors... can result in a fire escaping and becoming a dangerous wildfire that quickly threatens lives and property.”

The N.C. Forest Service advises contacting local county rangers before starting an outdoor fire. Residents should check local burning laws, ensure they have valid permits, monitor weather conditions closely, and use safe methods for burning debris away from overhead branches or wires.

The agency also stressed proper preparation with tools like hoses and shovels for fire control, avoiding flammable liquids like gasoline or kerosene for speeding up burns, and staying with fires until they are completely extinguished.

Similar precautions apply to campfires and grills: dousing charcoal briquettes thoroughly with water or using dirt or sand if water is unavailable while ensuring embers are cold before disposal.

For more information on fire safety outdoors or creating defensible spaces around properties, resources are available at Fire Safety Outdoors and www.resistwildfirenc.org. Contact details for county rangers can be found at www.ncforestservice.gov/contacts.