The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season has arrived and with it, the need to be prepared for the impacts from potential storms. With many predicting above average hurricane activity this year, the N.C. Forest Service encourages communities preparing for or cleaning up after a storm to implement best management practices that support efficient response and recovery.
Topics Related to NC Forest Service
As spring fire season enters its third month, the USDA Forest Service and N.C. Forest Service are reminding the public to keep drones away from wildfires. Flying drones or unmanned aircraft systems, near wildfire activity is not only extremely dangerous, but illegal.
“Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of forest service pilots and ground crews and interferes with firefighting efforts,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “It’s important to remember that if you fly, we can’t.”
This year marks the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day, and its importance is just as relevant now as when it was first recognized.
Established in 1872 as a tree-planting holiday, Arbor Day was first observed in Nebraska and was celebrated by the planting of more than a million trees. Arbor Day quickly grew into a national holiday before transitioning to a day recognized by many countries across the globe.
With spring fire season upon us, the N.C. Forest Service is asking residents to prioritize safety and practice caution when burning debris. Escaped fires from burning debris continue to be the leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina. Peak months for the spring fire season run from March through May and fires left unattended can get out of hand quickly and become wildfires.
Over half of North Carolina's private forestland is owned by individuals and families, collectively making them the largest group of forest owners in the state. The N.C. Forest Service offers many programs and services to help owners manage their woodlands and Avery County Ranger D.J. Whitson is available to help.
The amount of privately owned timberland in Avery County is about 98,000 acres. Individual landowners play an important part in keeping the forests of Avery County healthy and growing.
North Carolina’s updated forest action plan has been approved by the USDA Forest Service and is now ready to be implemented by forestry stakeholders across the state.
The plan is a thorough review of the state’s forestland, focusing on changes and trends that have occurred since 2010. The plan not only evaluates past and current forest conditions, but also addresses factors that may impact forest health and sustainability moving forward.
Snow, ice and freezing rain can severely impact trees and forested areas across the state. The N.C. Forest Service urges property owners and anyone preparing for or cleaning up after a storm to be cautious and to always think safety first.
The N.C. Forest Service has lifted a ban on all open burning effective at noon Monday, Dec. 13, for the following counties in North Carolina: Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Caswell, Davidson, Davie, Durham, Forsyth, Granville, Guilford, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Orange, Person, Polk, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Surry, Transylvania, Vance, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin and Yancey.
The ban, which went into effect Nov. 29 due to hazardous forest fire conditions, was lifted for 67 other counties on Dec. 8.
WHO/WHAT:Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler plans to visit the N.C. Forest Service’s Incident Command Post at the Grindstone Fire at Pilot Mountain to get an update on efforts to control the fire. Following the briefing, Troxler will make a few remarks and take questions from the media.WHEN:
Thursday, Dec. 2, 10:30 a.m.