With the recent drought, the number of outside fires has drastically increased. The Garner Fire-Rescue has extinguished nearly 75 acres of land and five structures in the last thirty days alone. With a through investigation of why these large numbers of fires are occurring, public education is becoming more and more apparent.

Little to no rain recently has left the ground vegetation and root systems parched, which increases the fuel load for a fire. High winds during this time push and accelerate the spread of fire making it much more aggressive.

Also improper or illegal burnings have led to a significant rise in outside fires. Burning laws vary from county to municipal areas due to infrastructures and population zoning. Most municipalities including the Town of Garner do not allow burning of any kind with the exception of cooking fires inside city or town limits. In county areas normally codes only allows for the burning of natural vegetation grown on the landowners property.

Below are some helpful tips to aid in your decision to attempt open burning.

Verify if your location allows for open burning (Town Ordinances)

Obtain a burning permit from the NC Forestry Service (www.dfr.state.nc.us)

Make sure you are only burning natural vegetation grown on your land

Clear the land around the burn, this will aid in the prevention of fire spread

Make sure you attend the fire for the entire burn

Make sure you have ample source of extinguishment for the fire

Do not burn if high winds are present

Always dial 911 for fire emergencies

With your help, we can reduce life hazard and property damage from outside fires.