Nantahala and Pisgah national forests ban campfires; WNC wildfires burn 7.5 square miles

Will Hofmann, Asheville Citizen Times
·2 min read

The Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are restricting campfires effective immediately, according to a U.S. Forest Service news release. Currently, the largest wildfire in North Carolina — the 6.1 square mile Collett Ridge Fire — is located in Nantahala National Forest.

Campfires in USDA Forest Service provided fire pits, metal fire rings, or pole mounted grills are still allowed, the news release said.

The restriction comes as several parts of the Western North Carolina region have gone under a period of severe drought, along with experiencing over 7.5 square miles of forest fire. Only around 0.25 inch of rain is expected for the region in the coming days, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Doug Outlaw.

More: WNC wildfire map

Lia Parker, of California, a public information officer with the US Forest Service for the Collett Ridge wildfire, holds up a map of the thousands of acres that are burning as smoke billows from the mountains in Andrews, November 7, 2023.
Lia Parker, of California, a public information officer with the US Forest Service for the Collett Ridge wildfire, holds up a map of the thousands of acres that are burning as smoke billows from the mountains in Andrews, November 7, 2023.

The release said:

"Given the elevated fire danger across western North Carolina, the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are prohibiting campfires outside of developed campground sites with campground hosts. Additionally, the use of fireworks or other pyrotechnical devices is prohibited year-round on all national forests."

"While the use of commercially available fuel stoves, such as portable gas camp stoves or grills, is not prohibited, forest visitors are reminded to not leave stoves or grills unattended."

The release reminded visitors to not block roads or gates and to respect firefighting efforts in the area.

Open burning currently banned across WNC counties

The N.C. Forest Service issued a ban on all open burning and canceled all burning permits for 14 counties in Western North Carolina, effective 5 p.m. Nov. 5 until further notice.

Counties currently under an open burn ban include Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain and Transylvania. The Buncombe County Fire Marshal’s Office has also issued a ban on open burning for Buncombe County, which began at 9 a.m. Nov. 5 and will be in effect until conditions improve.

More: Collett Ridge wildfire in WNC grows to over 4.5 square miles, no containment

More: Buncombe County declares state of local emergency, banning all burning amid fire risk

Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Nantahala, Pisgah national forests restrict campfires amid WNC fires