March signals the beginning of spring wildfire season in North Carolina, and the N.C. Forest Service (NCFS) is urging residents to be diligent about using best practices and common sense with all outdoor fires, especially yard debris burns.
Western North Carolina counties dealing with significant storm debris from Hurricane Helene are especially vulnerable to wildfires due to increased fuel loading from downed timber. In eastern North Carolina, trees and debris from Hurricane Idalea and Tropical Cyclone 8 are still an issue in some woodland areas.
“We reduce our wildfire risk by working together,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “When it comes to wildfire response this time of year, the Forest Service is at the ready, prepositioning resources as needed. We need you to be prepared and ready for wildfire. Understand that you’re not powerless when it comes to wildfire prevention and risk reduction. Everyone has a role to play, starting with making good decisions and planning ahead if you intend to start a fire.”
In general, human activity is responsible for 99 percent of wildfires, and spring weather tends to draw people outdoors to work in their yards with many choosing to burn as a method to dispose of leaves, limbs and other yard debris. Escaped yard debris burns, often due to carelessness, continue to be the leading cause of wildfires across the state, accounting for nearly half of all wildfires in North Carolina.
“Careless behaviors, such as burning on the wrong day, leaving a fire unattended, not staying with a fire until it is fully extinguished, can result in a fire escaping and becoming a dangerous wildfire that quickly threatens lives and property,” said NCFS Assistant Commissioner and State Forester Greg Hicks. “Your Forest Service county ranger is a great resource for recommending best practices and guidance about when, where and how to burn safely outdoors.”
Before starting an outdoor fire, contact your local NCFS county ranger’s office. The NCFS also offers the following tips:
• Check local burning laws. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours. Others forbid it entirely.
• Make sure you have a valid permit. You can obtain a burn permit at any N.C. Forest Service office or authorized permitting agent, or online at www.ncforestservice.gov/burnpermit.
• Keep an eye on the weather. Don’t burn on dry, windy days.
• Local fire officials can recommend a safe way to burn debris. Don’t pile vegetation on the ground. Instead, place it in a cleared area and contain it in a screened receptacle away from overhead branches and wires.
• Be sure you are fully prepared before burning. To control the fire, you will need a hose, bucket, steel rake and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire. Keep a phone nearby, too.
• Never use kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel or other flammable liquids to speed up debris burning.
• Stay with your fire until it is completely out.
• These same tips apply to campfires and grills as well. Douse burning charcoal briquettes or campfires thoroughly with water. Drown all embers, not just the red ones. When soaked, stir the coals and soak them again. Make sure everything is wet and that embers are cold to the touch. If you do not have water, mix enough dirt or sand with the embers to extinguish the fire, being careful not to bury the fire. Never dump hot ashes or coals into a wooded area.
To learn more about fire safety and preventing wildfires and loss of property, refer to Fire Safety Outdoors. For information about creating defensible space and a fire-resistant landscape around your home and property, visit www.resistwildfirenc.org. Contact information for county rangers with the N.C. Forest Service is available online at www.ncforestservice.gov/contacts.
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