More North Carolina counties added to burn ban list as fire risk continues, officials say
STARTING AT EIGHT, CONTINUING COVERAGE NOW OF THE POPLAR DRIVE FIRE, 14 WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES IN SEVERE DROUGHTS ARE UNDER BURN BANS. SEVERAL OF THOSE IN OUR REGION ARE PEYTON FURTADO IS LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE DROUGHT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BURN BANS IN SITUATIONS LIKE THESE. SHE JOINS US LIVE IN HENDERSON COUNTY. PEYTON SAID, SIDNEY, THIS IS A BUSY TIME OF THE YEAR FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA FOREST SERVICE FOR ALL THESE LEAVES LIKE THIS FALLING AND BECOMING KINDLING ON THE FOREST FLOOR. BUT THE DRY CONDITIONS HERE HAVE NOT MADE THINGS EASIER. OH, YEAH. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, THIS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA IS AS DRY AS A BONE IN SEVERE DROUGHT. CURRENT CONDITIONS. WE HAVE A FIRE CAN TAKE IN A MATTER OF MINUTES, CAN GO FROM YOU KNOW, FROM A SMALL LITTLE INCONSPICUOUS FIRE TO SEVERAL ACRES IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. THAT’S WHY 14 COUNTIES, INCLUDING HENDERSON, ARE UNDER A BURN BAN WITH MANY WONDERING WHY IT WASN’T STARTED SOONER. I SAID WHAT? AND IT HASN’T RAINED IN SIX WEEKS. THE CONDITIONS JUST WEREN’T QUITE THERE YET. THEY HAD BEEN TRENDING IN THAT DIRECTION FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AND LIKE I SAID, THOSE CONVERSATIONS TAKE PLACE ON A DAILY BASIS. THE NORTH CAROLINA FOREST SERVICE BASES THEIR DECISION TO CALL FOR A BURN BAN ON FACTORS LIKE WIND SPEEDS, AMOUNT OF FIRE, FUEL LIKE LEAVES, HUMIDITY, DROUGHT SEVERITY AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES. ACCORDING TO PHILIP JACKSON, ABOUT 100 OF THE FOREST SERVICE’S 643 POSITIONS ARE VACANT. BASICALLY, WE HAVE MORE FIRES THIS TIME OF YEAR AND WHEN YOU GOT MORE FIRES, MORE RESOURCES, MORE WORK AND MORE FIRES. BUT WE DO HAVE SOME VACANCIES THAT THAT WE’RE DEALING WITH. SO THAT IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. 5% OF THE POPLAR BRUSH FIRE WAS CONTAINED ON TUESDAY, AND THAT’S BECAUSE OF SOMETHING CALLED DUFF, A SPONGY DRY MATERIAL THAT MAKES UP SOME OF THE TOP LAYERS OF SOIL. IT CAN GO ABOUT TEN INCHES DEEP IN SOME REGIONS THAT SPONGY DUFF CAN KEEP AND HOLD HEAT FOR A LONG TIME, MAKING IT HARD TO FULLY CONTAIN FIRES ONCE THE SURFACE FIRE HAS PASSED AND WENT OVER OVER OVER THE LEAF LITTER AND THEN THIS AREA CONTINUES TO BURN LONG AFTER THAT TUESDAY, FIREFIGHTERS BABYSAT SMOLDERING DUFF PUTTING OUT HOTSPOTS WITH CURRENT CONDITIONS. THE FOREST SERVICE SAYS THEY COULD BE HERE FOR A WHILE. THE BIGGEST THING WE NEED IS SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL. EVEN IF YOU DON’T LIVE IN ONE OF THOSE 14 COUNTIES UNDER A BURN BAN. RIGHT NOW, THE NORTH CAROLINA FOREST SERVICE ASKS THAT YOU NOT BURN, POSTPONE BURNING ANYTHING OUTDOORS AS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA IS DRY AS A BONE. LIVE IN HE
More North Carolina counties added to burn ban list as fire risk continues, officials say
The North Carolina Forest Service on Wednesday issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits in more than a dozen counties.The addition of 16 counties to the list is due to increased fire risk in the region and is in addition to the burn ban already in place in 14 counties since Sunday, including Henderson, where the Poplar Drive has been burning since Saturday, officials said in a release.Check the least firefighting efforts and the size of that fire here.The ban goes into effect at 5 p.m. until further notice.The following counties are listed under the burn ban:AlexanderAlleghanyAsheAveryBuncombeCaldwellCatawbaHaywoodIredell LincolnMadisonMecklenburgMitchellWataugaWilkes Yancey "A fire can take in a matter of minutes can go from a small little inconspicuous fire to acres in a matter of minutes," David Poole, a division supervisor with the North Carolina Forest Service, said. Click here for more reasons this expansive burn ban was put in place here, and why you shouldn't burn now even if you aren't in the burn ban areas. Watch the story above."With the long-range forecast and conditions on the ground showing no improvement, expanding the ban on open burning to additional counties is a necessary precaution," Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said. "We keep a close eye on weather, fire danger and fuel conditions, especially this time of year. We’re making daily assessments, and the burn ban will be expanded into Piedmont counties and further east if needed. If you’re in a county that does not fall under the ban, think twice about any outdoor burning until we see significant, soaking rain 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.Local fire departments and law enforcement officers are assisting the N.C. Forest Service in enforcing the burn ban.The N.C. Forest Service will continue to monitor conditions. Residents with questions regarding a specific county can contact their N.C. Forest Service county ranger or their county fire marshal’s office.More information on the ban can be found here.
RALEIGH, N.C. —
The North Carolina Forest Service on Wednesday issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits in more than a dozen counties.
The addition of 16 counties to the list is due to increased fire risk in the region and is in addition to the burn ban already in place in 14 counties since Sunday, including Henderson, where the Poplar Drive has been burning since Saturday, officials said in a release.
Check the least firefighting efforts and the size of that fire here.
The ban goes into effect at 5 p.m. until further notice.
The following counties are listed under the burn ban:
- Alexander
- Alleghany
- Ashe
- Avery
- Buncombe
- Caldwell
- Catawba
- Haywood
- Iredell
- Lincoln
- Madison
- Mecklenburg
- Mitchell
- Watauga
- Wilkes
- Yancey
"A fire can take in a matter of minutes can go from a small little inconspicuous fire to acres in a matter of minutes," David Poole, a division supervisor with the North Carolina Forest Service, said. Click here for more reasons this expansive burn ban was put in place here, and why you shouldn't burn now even if you aren't in the burn ban areas.
Watch the story above.
"With the long-range forecast and conditions on the ground showing no improvement, expanding the ban on open burning to additional counties is a necessary precaution," Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said. "We keep a close eye on weather, fire danger and fuel conditions, especially this time of year. We’re making daily assessments, and the burn ban will be expanded into Piedmont counties and further east if needed. If you’re in a county that does not fall under the ban, think twice about any outdoor burning until we see significant, soaking rain 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.
Local fire departments and law enforcement officers are assisting the N.C. Forest Service in enforcing the burn ban.
The N.C. Forest Service will continue to monitor conditions. Residents with questions regarding a specific county can contact their N.C. Forest Service county ranger or their county fire marshal’s office.
Author: Ross Thomas
Last Updated: 1703058721
Views: 827
Rating: 4.7 / 5 (118 voted)
Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful
Name: Ross Thomas
Birthday: 1916-04-07
Address: USS Smith, FPO AA 91129
Phone: +4037871766843725
Job: Journalist
Hobby: Knitting, Magic Tricks, Fishing, Badminton, Dancing, Running, Stargazing
Introduction: My name is Ross Thomas, I am a vibrant, treasured, courageous, multicolored, tenacious, expert, Gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.