Weekend rain not enough to alleviate drought and wildfire impact, statewide burn ban remains in effect
RALEIGH – The statewide burn ban remains in effect until further notice despite
weekend rain in some areas. Persistent dry weather and increasing rainfall deficits
from the last several months have left most of the state needing 10 inches of rain
or more.
“While the rainfall we received over the weekend was a welcome sight, it offered
little to no relief from widespread drought conditions while being nowhere near
enough to reduce our wildfire risk,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.
“Even the areas that received the heaviest amount of rain will quickly dry out
from the sunshine and warmer temperatures. Until we get some additional rain
and see more green-up in our forests, holding the burn ban in place statewide is
the best option right now.”
While green-up and leaf-out are progressing at normal rate, low soil moisture, dry
surface fuels and persistent low humidity are contributing to wildfire activity. For
Western North Carolina, excessive forest fuels from Hurricane Helene are more
available now than they were in 2025, low water levels in coastal areas have
helped produce intense fire behavior where ground fire will likely be a long-term
issue, and the Piedmont experienced 87 new wildfire starts over the weekend
alone. Extended attack and mop-up efforts will be taxing and long-winded until
drought conditions improve.
Since the statewide burn ban was first enacted March 28, the N.C. Forest Service
has responded to more than 1,200 wildfires, burning nearly 3,500 acres. Only five
of those wildfires were determined to be the result of lightning strikes. Since the
state’s burn ban took effect, 287 citations have been issued for illegal burning
with several fires currently pending law enforcement investigation and action.
The public is urged to abide by the burn ban and to use extreme caution with
equipment, machines, mowers, vehicles on dry grass, smoking materials such as
cigarettes, anything that can throw a spark. Many of these causes have resulted in
several large wildfires in recent weeks throughout the state. While not classified
as open burning and not affected by the state’s ban on open burning, they are still
contributors to new fire starts across the state.
During a state-issued burn ban, the same N.C. Forest Service personnel providing
initial and extended attack for wildfire response are providing the necessary
enforcement action to support the ban on open burning. Reducing the number of
new ignitions is critical for sustaining adequate resource availability for an
extended period, making state-issued bans a necessary tool for keeping wildfires
contained and as small as possible until fully extinguished.
As the statewide ban on open burning and high fire danger continues, the public
can stay informed and prepared to prevent wildfires. The fire danger map and fire
danger statements are public-facing tools to help warn of increased wildfire risk
due to current and forecast weather conditions. To see fire danger in your area,
use the fire danger map and fire danger statements, both available online.
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