Rhodhiss Fire Department

05/25/2026

On this Memorial Day, we honor and pay tribute to the courageous men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice serving in the United States Armed Forces. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Let us take a moment to reflect on their bravery, selfless spirit, and devotion to our country, ensuring their legacy is never forgotten.

05/05/2026

Burke County is now under Stage 2 water restrictions.

That means this is no longer voluntary; we need everyone to start cutting back.

Here’s what that looks like:

Reduce your water use by about 10%
Only water lawns twice a week between 8PM and 8AM
No washing driveways or sidewalks
No washing personal vehicles at home

We didn’t get here overnight, and we won’t get out of it overnight either. Conditions are still dry, and this step helps protect our water supply for what matters most.

If conditions get worse, restrictions will tighten; that’s not where we want to go.

Do your part now so we don’t have to go there.

We’ll keep you updated.

05/04/2026

Today we celebrate International Firefighters' Day. We honor the brave men and women who risk everything to keep our families and neighbors safe.
​Thank a local hero today for their unwavering courage and sacrifice! 🚒🔥

05/03/2026

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

04/25/2026

We deeply mourn the loss of former Fire Chief Keith Owens, a leader whose bravery and dedication inspired generations of firefighters and citizens. Chief Owens’ extraordinary commitment spanned over five decades, including 55 years of service with the Gamewell Fire Department, where he served as Chief for 31 years (1990–2021).
His passion for the fire service extended throughout North Carolina, with 20 years at the Lenoir Fire Department and 13 years with the NC Forest Service. Beyond his operational leadership, Chief Owens was a devoted educator. In 2018, his vision for youth mentorship became a reality with the founding of a junior firefighter academy, which was renamed the Chief Keith Owens Junior Fire Academy in 2023. His legacy will live on through the cadets who continue to learn the values of emergency services in his honor.
Funeral arrangements are currently pending and will be announced as soon as they are finalized.

04/21/2026