County and state officials have issued an outdoor burning ban for the area.
Fire Marshal Shannon Blackman said conditions are dangerously conducive to wildfires. All open burning of leaves, debris, and other materials is prohibited until the ban is lifted. County officials will enforce the ban within 100 feet of a structure, and the N.C. Forest Service has jurisdiction over fires more than 100 from a home or building.
Fines range from $100 to $283, plus response cost and civil damages for any property damaged by a runaway fire.
Charcoal and gas grills are not included in the ban, but officials encourage extreme caution and proper disposal of ashes.
After a wet summer, Columbus and the region have drifted into an unusually dry fall. Currently, the county is on the edge of a drought.
