BURKE COUNTY – ELEVATED FIRE DANGER
BURKE COUNTY, NC – Due to the current and projected atmospheric conditions forecasted for Burke County, the Burke County Fire Marshal’s Office is recommending that any outdoor burning be postponed until conditions improve. The combination of the lack of rain, humidity level, and wind gusts has created conditions in which outside fires can grow rapidly with catastrophic results. Residents in municipal areas should check their local ordinances before conducting open burning, as they may differ.
.Residents and visitors should use extreme caution when open burning, using outdoor campfires, outdoor smokers, or any appliance that produces heat and/or an open flame. Extreme responsibility should be taken when discarding smoking materials, hot ashes from fireplaces, woodstoves, or cooking appliances. As a
reminder, any person open burning is responsible for their fire and any property damage that may result from their fire.
ILLEGAL BURNING – It is always illegal to burn any material other than natural vegetation. Violators conducting illegal burning are subject to receiving a citation from the Burke County Fire Marshal’s Office and/or the North Carolina Division of Air Quality. Common materials that investigators discover that are being burned illegally include, but are not limited to: household trash, furniture, cardboard, paper, copper wiring, building materials, treated or untreated (rough-cut) lumber, synthetics, oils, structures, and vehicles.
REMEMBER, “If it doesn’t grow from the ground or fall off of a tree naturally, DO NOT BURN IT.”
NOTIFICATIONS – To receive future notifications for open burning information, sign up for our Smart 911 app at www.smart911.com or scan the QR Code to the right with your tablet or phone.