Sugar Mountain Police Department

03/28/2026

BURN BAN in EFFECT
6PM- 3/28/26

Due to increased fire risk, the North Carolina Forest Service has issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits statewide effective at 6 p.m. Saturday March 28, 2026 until further notice.

Under North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning in the affected counties, regardless of whether a permit was previously issued. The issuance of any new permits has also been suspended until the ban is lifted. Anyone violating the burn ban faces a $100 fine plus $183 court costs. Any person responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to the extinguishment of the fire.

The burn ban issued by the N.C. Forest service does not apply to a fire within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. Local government agencies have jurisdiction over open burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling.

Avery County Fire Marshal’s Office has issued a local burning ban effective at 6 p.m. Saturday March 28, 2026. This ban will be in effect until further notice. This ban applies to any open burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. Campfires and fire pits are included in this ban and are not exempt.

Paul Buchanan
Avery County
Fire Marshal
828-733-8210
[email protected]
Avery County Fire Marshal

01/06/2026

Interested in serving the Sugar Mountain community?
The Sugar Mountain Police Department is currently hiring and looking for dedicated individuals to join the team.

Find full job details and application information at the link: https://seesugar.com/village/administration/employment/

12/25/2025

Santa spotting!

Merry Christmas from the Sugar Mountain Police Department

12/23/2025

Please be on the lookout for counterfeit bills! The US Treasury has a great resource for spotting differences.
https://www.secretservice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2020-12/KnowYourMoney.pdf

12/08/2025

🚗❄️ Active Snowfall Alert

Road conditions are currently slick, and visibility may be reduced. If you travel, please use caution.

Four-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, or tire chains are required for anyone driving on Village of Sugar Mountain roadways at this time. Conditions are not suitable for two-wheel-drive vehicles.

Please reduce your speed, allow extra travel time, and increase your following distance. Use headlights in low visibility and stay alert for road crews.

Your safety is our priority. Thank you for driving carefully.

11/18/2025

🔥 COUNTY-WIDE BURN BAN IN EFFECT 🔥

The Avery County Fire Marshal’s Office has issued a countywide ban on all outdoor open burning, effective immediately (November 18, 2025 at 3:30 p.m.).

This applies to everyone in Avery County, including residents within 100 feet of any structure.

What’s considered open burning?
• Brush piles
• Debris piles
• Bonfires
• Recreational fires
• Outdoor fireplaces
• Portable outdoor fireplaces

Under Section 307 of the North Carolina Fire Code, open burning is prohibited when weather or local conditions make fires dangerous. The Fire Marshal has full authority to order that all open burning be stopped.

This ban applies across Avery County, including:
• Banner Elk
• Sugar Mountain
• Crossnore
• Newland
• Elk Park
• Grandfather Village

The ban will remain in place until conditions improve and the Fire Marshal’s Office lifts the order.

11/12/2025

Not your average night on patrol! 🌌 The Aurora Borealis made a surprise visit to Sugar Mountain, and we had the best seat in town. 🚔✨

04/17/2025

The bears are awake! Do not leave ANY food or drink in the car!

🐻 Bears Are Awake – Keep Our Community Safe! 🐻

As the weather warms up, bears are active again in our area! Help keep both wildlife and our community safe by following these simple steps:

✅ Secure Your Trash – Use bear-resistant containers and never leave trash bags outside. It’s required by our local trash ordinance!

🚗 Keep Cars Free of Food & Drinks – Even an empty food wrapper or soda can attract a bear. Don’t leave anything scented in your vehicle!

🏡 Remove Outdoor Food Sources – Take down bird feeders, store pet food inside, and clean your grill to avoid unwanted visitors.

🚶‍♂️ Respect Wildlife – If you see a bear, give it space! Never feed or approach them—keeping bears wild is best for everyone.

Let’s work together to prevent bear encounters and protect our community! Learn more at https://bearwise.org/ and https://seesugar.com/wildlife/

📢 Share this post to spread awareness!

10/11/2024

10/09/2024

AVOID SCAMS DURING RECOVERY EFFORTS

After a disaster, be careful to avoid fraudsters and scam artists. The NC Department of Insurance has provided the following information for avoiding scams in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

• Beware of contractor or roofing representatives going door-to-door after a disaster.
• Call your insurance agent or insurance company before signing a contract or paying for repairs. Don’t let the contractor work directly with your insurance company unless your agent gives approval.
• Work with only licensed and insured contractors.
• Get more than one estimate. Don’t be pushed into signing a contract right away.
• Get everything in writing. The cost and the type of work to be done, time schedule, guarantees, payment schedule and other expectations should be detailed.
• Require references and check them out.
• Ask to see the salesperson’s driver’s license. Write down the license number. Also take down his or her license plate number.
• Never sign a contract with blanks. Fraudulent contractors may enter unacceptable terms later.
• Never pay a contractor in full or sign a completion certificate until the work is completed.