Effective at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 2, the N.C. Forest Service has lifted a ban on all open burning for the following counties in North Carolina: Anson, Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Greene, Harnett, Hoke, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Moore, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Pitt, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland and Wayne. The burn ban went into effect May 24 due to hazardous forest fire conditions in the area.