What You Need to Know
What It Is
An open burning permit is not a request for permission to burn but is instead a notification that a burn may occur. In North Carolina, between the hours of midnight and 4 p.m., a burning permit is required for any person intending to start or cause to start any fire or ignite any material in any woodland under the protection of the N.C. Forest Service and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, or within 500 feet of any such woodland. By law, we are required to provide a permit to any individual who asks for one.
- Burn only during the duration indicated on your permit application.
- Conduct your burn safely and in accordance with state and local laws/rules.
- Permit can be canceled if fire danger is too high.
| ALL COUNTIES | MOST COUNTIES | HIGH HAZARD COUNTIES | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burn only natural vegetation, i.e., leaves, branches, yard debris | Permit required between midnight and 4 p.m. | For less than five acres Permit always required | For more than five acres
|
Additional Rules for High Hazard Counties
- Prevailing winds at the time of ignition must be away from any city, town, development, major highway, or other populated area, of which the ambient air may be significantly affected by smoke, fly ash, or other air contaminates from the burning.
- The location of the burning must be at least 500 feet from any dwelling or structure located in a predominately residential area other than a dwelling or structure located on the property on which the burning is conducted unless permission is granted by the occupants.
- The amount of dirt or organic soil on or in the material to be burned must be minimized and the material arranged in a way suitable to facilitate rapid burning.
- Burning may not be initiated when it is determined by a forest ranger, based on information supplied by a competent authority, that stagnant air conditions or inversions exist or that such conditions may occur during the duration of the burn.
- Heavy oils, asphaltic material or items containing natural or synthetic rubber may not be used to ignite the material to be burned or to promote the burning of such material.
- Initial burning may be commenced only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., and no combustible material may be added to the fire between 4 p.m. on one day and 8 a.m. on the following day, except that when favorable meteorological conditions exist, any forest ranger authorized to issue the permit may authorize in writing a deviation from the restrictions.
- You may be required to extinguish the fire immediately.
- A ranger may step in and extinguish the fire.
- You may be held responsible.
| Don't Burn If: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
It’s dry, warm or windy -- or when fire danger is high. 
| You can’t keep your burn pile small and in a clear area. 
| You don’t have a water source, shovel, rake and phone nearby. 
| You can’t stay with your fire. 
|
Burn Ban = NO Open Burning
Open burning is prohibited, regardless of whether a permit is required, when the Commissioner of Agriculture enacts a state-issued ban on open burning.