The wildfires in Western North Carolina have crept their way to Buncombe County and AVLtoday is sharing need-to-know information during these stressful times.
A combination of factors, including dry conditions, high winds, and leftover storm debris, has increased fire risk in our region. The North Carolina Forest Service issued a statewide burn ban on Friday, March 21, in effect until further notice.
The City of Asheville issued additional local restrictions to supplement the state’s burn ban.
Effective immediately, all open burning, even within 100 feet of a dwelling is prohibited, this includes recreational fires, bonfires, fire pits, and warming fires.
Cooking fires are allowed if contained within a grill or outdoor cooking device, are attended to at all times, and accompanied by an extinguishing means.
The NCFS’s fire response website has the most up-to-date information on the location and size of active wildfires.
Here’s where things stand with active fires, evacuation orders, mitigation resources, and emergency alerts for the City of Asheville and Buncombe County.
Active fires and evacuation orders
Currently, there is one fire burning in Buncombe County — in the Dix Creek community in Leicester.
As of Thursday afternoon, the fire covers 127 acres, with 20% containment, according to NCFS’s fire tracker. There are no mandatory wildfire evacuation orders in Buncombe County at this time. There is a voluntary evacuation order for the Hayes Cove area, according to the Leicester Fire Department.
The Leicester Fire Department is on scene and sharing updates on their Facebook page.
Mitigation resources
Buncombe County Fire Marshal Kevin Tipton urged residents who live near a wood line or urban interface to take the following precautions:
- Clean all combustibles from areas 25-50 ft away from your home.
- Don’t store combustibles (firewood, gas, kerosene, oil) against your home or under decks.
- Clear any burnable material from around outdoor heating sources like oil or propane tanks.
- Clean leaves, limbs, and dead vegetation from your home, including gutters.
The county has additional resources on how to keep your property safe throughout the wildfire season.
Emergency Alerts
Sign up for emergency alerts from Buncombe County by texting BCalert to 99411 or visit alert.buncombecounty.org, fill out this form for alerts from the City of Asheville.
