RALEIGH, N.C. (NCN News) – With spring on its way, environmental officials are warning that state law bans the open burning of trash, metal, plastic and all other man-made materials which provide a health risk.
While many chose to burn debris outdoors for disposal in spring, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality is reminding North Carolinians: “If it Doesn’t Grow, Don’t Burn It”
Open burning is any outdoor fire that releases smoke and pollution directly into the air, including from burn piles and burn barrels. Open burning is only allowed in limited circumstances and only for vegetative materials such as leaves, limbs and yard debris.
The open burning rule, the state’s oldest air quality regulation, limits what can be burned outdoors and when. Residential yard waste and commercial land clearing burning can only occur between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. No new vegetation can be added to a burn pile after 6 p.m.
Also, Burning is only allowed when the air quality forecast is Code Green or Code Yellow. Burning on Code Orange, Red or Purple days is prohibited. Check your county’s air quality forecast at the online Air Quality Portal.
Yard waste must originate at a private residence and be burned on that site. In other words, residents can only burn vegetation from their own yard — not yard waste from other homes or locations.
Burning of yard waste is only allowed if permitted under local ordinances and only if public pickup of yard debris is not available.
Campfires, outdoor cooking fires and bonfires are permissible, unless prohibited by local ordinances or temporary burn bans, provided that only vegetation such as firewood is burned. Fires must be controlled and never left unattended.
Commercial land clearing operations are also limited by the open burning rule. Land clearing is the uprooting or clearing of vegetation in connection with construction, land development or mining, or the initial clearing of vegetation to enhance property valueKerosene or diesel fuel may be used to start a land-clearing fire, but no other man-made materials can be burned.
The Division of Air Quality enforces the state open burning rule, partnering with local law enforcement, firefighters and fire marshals, and the N.C. Forest Service to ensure compliance. Violators can be fined up to $25,000 per violation per day.
Careless debris burning is the leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina. The N.C Forest Service may require an open burning permit before certain fires are ignited, including fires in protected areas. The Division of Air Quality does not issue burn permits. Burn permits are available through the N.C. Forest Service’s online application at ncforestservice.gov/burnpermit or by contacting a local N.C. Forest Service county office or local permitting agent. For more information, contact the N.C. Forest Service.
Local county and municipal governments may have more stringent burning restrictions than state law. Contact your local officials to learn what burning rules may be in place where you live.