Fayetteville adopts statewide burn ban amid increased risk for fires
Fayetteville and Cumberland County joined municipalities across the state in issuing local burn bans Tuesday after the N.C. Department of Agriculture Consumer Services issued a statewide ban Monday evening.
The statewide ban was issued in response to an increase in wildfire danger across the state, a news release from the N.C. Forest Service said.
“It is fall wildfire season in North Carolina, and we are seeing wildfire activity increase due to dry conditions,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in the release. “With these ongoing conditions, a statewide burn ban is necessary to reduce the risk of fires starting and spreading quickly. Our top priority is always to protect lives, property and forestland across the state.”
According to the state release, anyone violating the burn ban faces a $100 fine along with $183 court costs, and any person responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire.
Tuesday morning, Cumberland County Emergency Services canceled all burning permits and prohibited all open burning until further notice due to increased hazardous forest fire conditions, a news release from Cumberland County said.
The N.C. Forest Service defines open burning in a burn ban as "burning leaves, branches or other plant material. In all cases, burning trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics or other nonvegetative material is illegal."
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According to the release, Cumberland County's ban added the additional limitation of no fires being allowed, including those within 100 feet of a dwelling.
“Emergency Services made this decision based on our rating for fire danger and how dry the weather has been,” Cumberland County Fire Marshal Kevin Lowther said in the release. “Cumberland County currently is at a moderate risk, and it is extremely important to refrain from all open burning as we are experiencing such dry weather.”
Lowther said that the burn ban applies to all open burning, including that in fire pits.
Grilling and outdoor cooking on approved appliances is acceptable, but Lowther warns all people to exercise caution while doing so.
Lowther also addressed the homeless population, who may require an open flame or campfire to cook food and survive, and said that there are limited exceptions for those who require some form of open burning to survive.
The city of Fayetteville echoed the county ban Tuesday afternoon, canceling all land clearing burning permits and prohibiting any open burning, a news release from the city of Fayetteville said.
“This ban includes recreational fires and residents are encouraged to monitor outdoor grilling activities involving open flames,” Fire Marshal T.J. McLamb said in the city's release.
The statewide, county and city burn bans are in effect until further notice.
Residents can monitor their area's rating for fire danger on the North Carolina Daily Fire Danger webpage.
Those with questions about the city burn ban can contact the Fayetteville Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Division at 910-433-1730 and those with questions about the county burn ban can contact Cumberland County Emergency Services at 910-321-6736.
Crime Reporter Jack Boden can be reached at jboden@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jackboden5.
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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville adopts statewide burn ban amid increased risk for fires
