Due to recent rainfall in our area, decreasing wind speeds, and higher humidity, the Local State of Emergency issued for Buncombe County on Nov. 6 was terminated effective Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023.
The Local State of Emergency was also terminated in the municipal limits of the City of Asheville, Town of Weaverville, Town of Woodfin, Town of Montreat, and the Town of Biltmore Forest. The Town of Black Mountain remains under a Local State of Emergency.
The termination of the Local State of Emergency does not affect any open burning restrictions put in place by the Buncombe County Fire Marshal pursuant to the Buncombe County Fire Prevention and Protection Ordinance contained in Chapter 30 of the Buncombe County Code of Ordinances.
Food preparation and cooking fires have not been included in any ban issued. This includes grills, smokers, and turkey fryers. All leaf, debris, yard waste, and land clearing burns remain under an open burning ban under the Fire Prevention Ordinance. While the Forest Service has lifted their bans on open burning in Western North Carolina effective for 5 p.m. today, our local ban remains in place and takes precedence over the Forest Service actions.
The ban on outdoor recreational fires contained in rings, pits, chimenea devices, outdoor fireplaces, and stoves was lifted effective Thursday, Nov. 23 at 8 am. Importantly, fires must be contained, constantly attended, and smaller than three feet in diameter and height.
While the burn ban has been relaxed, the Buncombe County Fire Marshal would like to remind the community of the importance of fire safety in and around the house. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking fires in residential buildings occurred more often on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year.
Sign up for local emergency notifications to receive timely information. In the event of an emergency, Buncombe County will utilize its CodeRED text messaging system to communicate with residents. To receive alerts, text “BCAlert” to 99411 or go to buncombecounty.org/codered.