The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has resumed prescribed fire operations across the four National Forests in North Carolina through the end of spring. Fire managers expect prescribed burning to occur over the coming weeks as weather conditions allow.
Prescribed fire is used to reduce hazardous fuels, improve forest health, and help protect nearby communities, infrastructure, and natural resources from the risk of damaging wildfire. Since the beginning of March, the Forest Service has completed more than 10,500 acres of prescribed burning, including:
- Pisgah National Forest — 1,555 acres
- Nantahala National Forest — 4,509 acres
- Uwharrie National Forest — 1,110 acres
- Croatan National Forest — 3,390 acres
Burning may take place across ranger districts when conditions meet specific safety and environmental requirements. Fire managers carefully evaluate weather, fuel conditions, and smoke dispersion before each burn begins.
Some areas may close to the public for several days for safety. Visitors should watch for posted signs along roads and trails near prescribed fire areas before and after operations.
Residents may see or smell smoke during prescribed burns. For more information about air quality, visit AirNow.gov or download the mobile app. When driving, slow down, turn on headlights, watch for firefighters and equipment working along roadways.
Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools land managers use to reduce wildfire risk and maintain healthy forest ecosystems. These carefully planned burns help remove excess vegetation that can fuel large wildfires while supporting wildlife habitat and resilient landscapes.
Updates about prescribed burning will be shared through the National Forests in North Carolina website (www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc) and Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/nfsnc). An interactive map of planned burn areas is available at www.fs.usda.gov/nfnc/burnmaps.
About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.