Drowning Creek Vol Fire Department

05/28/2026

05/04/2026

Today we observe International Firefighters' Day. If you encounter a firefighter, be sure to express gratitude for their service.

05/03/2026

Effective at 8:00am Sunday Morning the State and County burn bans will be lifted. Remember that even though you may legally resume burning of natural vegetation at 8:00am Sunday, those lighting any fire are responsible if the fire escapes containment. You are never permitted to burn trash. If you live in a municipality within the county please check with the municipality regarding burning restrictions in those areas.

05/01/2026

May 1, 2026
Burke County Burn Ban
Local Burn Ban Status - In Effect
Statewide Burn Ban Status - In Effect
U.S. Forest Service Fire Restrictions - In Effect
Burke County Fire Danger Rating - LOW

⚠️The Local Burn Ban that was issued for Burke County for all open burning on March 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM, remains in effect until further notice. The Burke County Local Burn Ban is concurrent with the NC Forest Service Statewide Burn Ban.

⚠️ Effective April 15, 2026, the U.S. Forest Service has implemented Fire Restrictions in four National Parks in Western NC. Visit https://www.fs.usda.gov for additional information.

Please postpone any open burning until atmospheric conditions improve. Citations are being issued for Burn Ban violations.
Let’s all do our part to keep our communities safe from fire!

✅ For Burke County Burn Ban updates, please sign up for Burke County’s Smart911 Alerts at:
https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=burkenc

✅ For North Carolina Forest Service Burning Ban updates, please sign up for NCFS Alerts at:
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/NCFS/subscriber/new

✅ For U.S. Forest Service Fire Restrictions updates, navigate to https://www.fs.usda.gov

04/27/2026

The statewide burn ban remains in effect until further notice despite weekend rain in some areas. Persistent dry weather and increasing rainfall deficits from the last several months have left most of the state needing 10 inches of rain or more.

“While the rainfall we received over the weekend was a welcome sight, it offered little to no relief from widespread drought conditions while being nowhere near enough to reduce our wildfire risk,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Even the areas that received the heaviest amount of rain will quickly dry out from the sunshine and warmer temperatures. Until we get some additional rain and see more green-up in our forests, holding the burn ban in place statewide is the best option right now.”

While green-up and leaf-out are progressing at normal rate, low soil moisture, dry surface fuels and persistent low humidity are contributing to wildfire activity. For Western North Carolina, excessive forest fuels from Hurricane Helene are more available now than they were in 2025, low water levels in coastal areas have helped produce intense fire behavior where ground fire will likely be a long-term issue, and the Piedmont experienced 87 new wildfire starts over the weekend alone. Extended attack and mop-up efforts will be taxing and long-winded until drought conditions improve.

Read news release: https://bit.ly/497dNht

04/27/2026

April 27, 2026
Burke County Burn Ban
Local Burn Ban Status - In Effect
Statewide Burn Ban Status - In Effect
U.S. Forest Service Fire Restrictions - In Effect
Burke County Fire Danger Rating - HIGH

⚠️The Local Burn Ban that was issued for Burke County for all open burning on March 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM, remains in effect until further notice. The Burke County Local Burn Ban is concurrent with the NC Forest Service Statewide Burn Ban.

⚠️ Effective April 15, 2026, the U.S. Forest Service has implemented Fire Restrictions in four National Parks in Western NC. Visit https://www.fs.usda.gov for additional information.

Please postpone any open burning until atmospheric conditions improve. Citations are being issued for Burn Ban violations.

Let’s all do our part to keep our communities safe from fire!

✅ For Burke County Burn Ban updates, please sign up for Burke County’s Smart911 Alerts at:
https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=burkenc

✅ For North Carolina Forest Service Burning Ban updates, please sign up for NCFS Alerts at:
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/NCFS/subscriber/new

✅ For U.S. Forest Service Fire Restrictions updates, navigate to https://www.fs.usda.gov

04/23/2026