As of Wednesday March 2nd, all state and local burn bans have been lifted. Rainy conditions in the area has decreased risk, and have aided firefighters battling the massive wildfires that have burnt over 8000 areas in western North Carolina in total.
U.S. Forest Service News Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C., April 1, 2025—The USDA Forest Service is lifting fire restrictions across the four National Forests in North Carolina effective Wednesday, April 2, at 8 a.m., coinciding with the end to the statewide burn ban.
Widespread rainfall over the past 48 hours reduced the overall fire danger across much of the state. The improved weather conditions also helped firefighters currently battling multiple fires in Western North Carolina, including the Rattlesnake Branch Fire on the Pisgah National Forest.
Forest visitors will be able to once again build campfires and use camp stoves and fire rings. However, several areas will continue experience warmer and windy weather in the days ahead, so it’s important to exercise extreme caution when burning outdoors.
Some important campfire tips to remember:
- Make sure your campfire is a safe distance from your tent or anything that can ignite unexpectedly.
- Use rocks to create a fire ring in the center of a large, cleared area.
- Use the Drown-Stir-Drown-Feel method to put out your campfire safely.
- For more information, check out Smokey Bear’s Campfire Safety webpage
While the statewide fire restriction on National Forest lands has lifted, the restrictions on all open burning in the area of Roan Mountain remains in effect because of heightened wildfire risks following Hurricane Helene. Click here for more information on the Roan Mountain fire restriction.
For wildfire updates, follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nfsnc or visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc.
Robert B. Bishop, Burke County Chief Fire Marshal
LOCAL, STATEWIDE, & US FOREST SERVICE BURN BANS – LIFTED
EFFECTIVE April 2, 2025, 8:00 AM – The Local Burn Ban implemented by the Burke County Fire Marshal’s
Office on March 21, 2025, will be lifted. The North Carolina Forest Service Statewide Burn Ban and the US
Forest Service National Forests in NC Burn Bans will also be lifted at the same date and time.
Residents in municipalities should check their local ordinances before burning, as they may differ.
As always, open burning should be conducted responsibly. Always check local ordinances and air quality
reports and obtain an open burning permit when required. It is ALWAYS illegal to burn trash or any material
other than natural vegetation. Any person responsible for illegal burning may be subject to a citation from the
Burke County Fire Marshal’s Office and other local or state regulatory agencies.
Contact the Burke County Fire Marshal’s Office at 828-764-9324 or by email at fire@burkenc.org with any
questions.
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Watch the weather. Never burn on dry, windy days.
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Keep burn piles small, not tall, and remember it is illegal to burn anything other than natural vegetation. Burning trash is illegal. Trash must be taken to a convenience site or landfill.
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Never use flammable liquid to speed up debris burning.
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Keep water hose, bucket, steel rake, and shovel nearby when burning.
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Never leave a fire unattended.
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Get a burning permit. To learn more about when a burning permit is required, visit www.ncforestservice.gov/burn_permits/burn_permits_main.htm
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Call 911 to report a wildfire.
Catawba County Lifts Burn Ban
NEWTON, NC – Effective April 2, 2025, at 8:00 AM, the Catawba County Fire Marshal’s Office has officially lifted the burn ban on all open-burning activities throughout the county, including areas within 100 feet of a dwelling.
The burn ban was initially implemented in accordance with Section 307 of the 2018 North Carolina Fire Code, which was activated to mitigate the heightened risk of wildfires due to exceptionally dry weather conditions across Catawba County.
This local burn ban followed an earlier statewide order issued by the North Carolina Forest Service on March 21st, 2025, which prohibited all open burning and canceled existing burning permits in Catawba County. The Forest Service also suspended the issuance of new permits due to increased fire risks.
Under the terms of the previous ban, open burning activities, such as the burning of leaves, branches, and other plant materials, as well as recreational fires, bonfires, and outdoor fireplaces, were restricted. However, cooking fires – including those using gas, pellet, charcoal grills, and outdoor smokers – were exempt. It is important to note that burning trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics, and other non-vegetative materials remains illegal at all times.
For more information or questions regarding the burn ban, residents are encouraged to contact Catawba County Emergency Services at (828) 465-8230. Additionally, details about the North Carolina Forest Service’s regional open burning restrictions and the deployment of their Fire Prevention Education Team to Western North Carolina can be found at http://ncforestservice.gov/ under the “News” section.