Alamance County Under Fire Danger Alert Until 8 PM Monday

A heightened fire danger alert from the National Weather Service covers Alamance County from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, with dry conditions and gusting winds creating conditions under which a small yard fire can escape control within minutes.

The alert reinforces a statewide open-burning ban the NC Forest Service issued March 28, citing low humidity, gusty winds, and dry fuels across North Carolina. All burning permits have been canceled statewide. Outdoor burning of any kind, including yard debris fires, fire pits, and campfires, is prohibited in Alamance County for the duration of the alert.

The state's recent fire record puts the risk in sharp relief: NC Forest Service preliminary data recorded 60 wildfires burning 65.2 acres on private and state-owned land across North Carolina in a single day on March 25. The leading cause of wildfires statewide is careless debris burning, which means a pile of leaves, a ditch clearing, or a brush pile left unattended today carries real consequences.

Wooded and transitional areas face the greatest exposure under today's conditions. The Haw River corridor, which threads through central Alamance County, and rural communities bordering unmanaged forest land in the county's eastern and southern sections are particularly vulnerable when wind is a factor. Under today's low-humidity forecast, even a spark from outdoor power equipment can become a running fire.

If you see smoke anywhere in the county today, call 911 immediately. The NC Forest Service also maintains a public wildfire incident tracker online for statewide fire activity.

Even outside an active burn ban, Alamance County residents should know what is always prohibited: burning trash, construction materials, and any other non-vegetative debris is illegal regardless of fire danger conditions. When the burn ban lifts, permits for burning natural vegetation are required and are available through any authorized permitting agent or through the NC Forest Service.

John Payne, Fire Marshal of the Alamance County Fire Marshal's Office, oversees local fire enforcement. For emergency management questions, contact Tony Lo Giudice at 336-281-0895.