← North Carolina burn ban rules›Current Fire Restrictions
North Carolina Current Fire Restrictions (2026)
Info: No state-issued burn ban in effect: the statewide ban issued March 28, 2026 was fully lifted — 81 counties on May 3 and the final 19 effective 8 a.m. May 8 — and none has been issued since (no ban is posted on the NCFS open-burning page or on the NCFS online burn-permit system, which lists all 100 counties for permit applications).
No state-issued burn ban in effect: the statewide ban issued March 28, 2026 was fully lifted — 81 counties on May 3 and the final 19 effective 8 a.m. May 8 — and none has been issued since (no ban is posted on the NCFS open-burning page or on the NCFS online burn-permit system, which lists all 100 counties for permit applications). A burn ban can only be enacted by the Commissioner of Agriculture. Baseline: between midnight and 4 p.m. a permit is required to burn in or within 500 ft of NCFS-protected woodland, and only natural vegetation may be burned. PERMIT-RULE CHANGE: effective June 22, 2026 New Hanover and Pender counties became "high hazard" counties (S.B. 401 / N.C. Farm Act), bringing the total to 21 — in a high-hazard county a permit is ALWAYS required for burns under five acres, and a special permit with added safety conditions for land clearing over five acres. The state system does not cover fires within 100 ft of an occupied dwelling, where local government has jurisdiction.
Check the live restriction status: apps.ncagr.gov →
General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.
Current Fire Restrictions in states bordering North Carolina
The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.
- GeorgiaInfo
Georgia's EPD summer open-burning ban has ENDED for 2026: EPD's Summer Open Burning Ban page states the ban runs May 1 - September 30 in 54 counties, so it lifted after September 30, 2026. …
Verified Oct 16, 2026 · Source: epd.georgia.gov · Full Georgia rule →
- South CarolinaInfo
LawLert read the South Carolina Forestry Commission's Bans and Alerts page today and it lists no active State Forester's or Governor's Burning Ban. …
Verified Oct 17, 2026 · Source: scfc.gov · Full South Carolina rule →
- TennesseeInfo
No active burn bans in Tennessee — the Division of Forestry's burn-ban page states "Currently, there are no active burn bans in the State of Tennessee". …
Verified Oct 17, 2026 · Source: tn.gov · Full Tennessee rule →
- VirginiaInfo
No statewide burning restriction is in effect right now — Virginia's 4 PM Burning Law applies only Feb 15–Apr 30. During prolonged drought or elevated fire danger, individual localities may enact temporary local burn bans; current local status comes from your local government office, fire department or emergency management agency, and the Dept. of Forestry posts a Daily Fire Danger Rating during fire season. Always check with local officials before burning (VDOF Burning Restrictions page).
Verified Oct 16, 2026 · Source: dof.virginia.gov · Full Virginia rule →
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