N.C. Forest Service calls on the public to prepare for wildfire, prevent wildfire
RALEIGH – As North Carolina’s fall wildfire season approaches, the N.C. Forest Service is urging the public to protect homes and neighborhoods by taking action to reduce wildfire risk and using recommended best practices to prevent wildfires.
“Wildfire prevention and risk reduction are two important areas that each of us have the ability to directly impact,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Sometimes a wildfire is inevitable due to circumstances beyond our control such as lightning strikes or downed powerlines. However, most of our wildfires are avoidable as human activity continues to be responsible for more than 99% of all wildfire causes.”
In North Carolina, wildfire activity typically increases in October through early December. From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, the NCFS responded to nearly 5,600 wildfires that burned more than 34,000 acres. Backyard debris burning, machine and vehicle use, arson and escaped campfires continue to be common ignition sources for human-caused wildfires.
“We’ve just surpassed the one-year mark since Hurricane Helene unleashed significant devastation on so many of our citizens and natural resources,” Troxler added. “Being prepared for wildfire is more important than ever, especially in Western North Carolina where more than 800,000 acres of forestland were damaged, leaving substantial fuel on the ground. Please do your part to prevent and prepare for wildfires.”
To help create a defensible space and better protect your home from wildfire, the NCFS offers the following guidance:
- Clear off pine needles, dead leaves and anything else that can burn from your roof lines, gutters, decks, porches, patios and along fence lines. Falling embers will be less likely to ignite.
- Store away furniture cushions, mats, potted plants and other decorations from your doors, decks, porches and patios. These items can catch embers and ignite your home if you leave them outside.
- Screen windows and seal any openings. Windblown embers can get into homes easily through the vents and other openings, burning the home from the inside out. Walk around your house to see what openings you can screen or temporarily seal up.
- Rake up leaves and mulch at least five feet away from your home. Embers that land in mulch touching your house, deck or fence are a big fire hazard.
- Trim back any shrubs or tree branches closer than five feet from your house, in addition to any overhanging branches.
- Remove anything within 30 feet of your house that can burn such as woodpiles, spare lumber, vehicles and boats – anything that can act as a large source of fuel.
- If ordered to evacuate, make sure all windows and doors are closed tightly and seal up any pet doors. Many homes are destroyed by embers entering these openings and burning the house from the inside out.
For safe burning practices to help prevent wildfire, the NCFS offers the following guidance:
- 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 https://apps.ncagr.gov/burnpermits/.
- Check the weather. Never burn on dry, windy days.
- Keep your fire small, not tall.
- Be sure you are fully prepared before burning. To control the fire, you will need a water 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 burning.
- 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.
- Never leave your fire. Stay with it until it is completely out.
Where there’s fire, there’s smoke, and if you live in an area where wildfire risk is high, staying smoke-ready can be critical to personal health and well-being. Take steps now to prepare for wildfire smoke. This is especially important for smoke sensitive individuals including children, active people, older adults and people with heart or lung disease such as asthma. Being prepared means knowing where to find information about air quality and utilizing the air quality index. Use resources like www.ncair.org, https://airquality.climate.ncsu.edu/ and www.airnow.gov.
To learn more about preparing for and preventing wildfires, visit www.preventwildfirenc.org.
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