The Open Burning Rule is one of North Carolina's oldest air quality regulations, first adopted in 1971. The rule prohibits most outdoor burning and sets conditions for allowable fires. Under the rule, it is always illegal to burn trash and other non-vegetative materials. Leaves, branches and other plant growth can be burned under certain conditions.
Violators can be fined up to $25,000 or more.
IF IT DOESN’T GROW, DON’T BURN IT
The basic message of the state open burning rule is simple: Only leaves, branches and other plant growth can be burned- nothing else. That means no trash, lumber, tires or old newspapers. If local pickup is available, you can’t burn even leaves and branches. Do not burn:
- Garbage, paper and cardboard
- Tires and other rubber products
- Building materials, including lumber and wood scraps
- Wire, plastics and synthetic materials
- Asphalt shingles and heavy oils
- Paints, household and agricultural chemicals
GUIDELINES FOR OPEN BURNING
Within 100 feet of a Structure
- YARD TRIMMINGS ONLY (Leaves, Limbs, Grass, Vines, etc.) (Excludes logs and stumps)
- Must originate on the premises of a private residence. Businesses are prohibited from burning.
- Fire must be at least 50 feet from any structure and must not spread to within 50 ft.
- Fire must not create a nuisance when burned
- A competent person shall constantly attend the fire until such fire is extinguished
- Must provide fire control tools to match the size of the pile being burned (garden hoses, rakes, shovels, extra help, etc. )
- Non-vegetative materials, such as household garbage, lumber or any other synthetic materials are not burned
- Piles of material shall not exceed 30 feet in diameter, 10 feet in height, or 10,000 cubic feet
- An area 10 feet wide shall be cleared completely around the material to be burned
- If a burning ban has been issued all fires shall be extinguished immediately
- If at any time during the burning, the regulations regarding open burning are not met or are neglected in any way, the fire will be extinguished and a civil citation may be issued
SAFETY MESSAGE
Here are some basic steps that you can do to help prevent a wildfire:
- Have a garden hose ready by the pile of debris in which you wish to burn
- Before doing any open burning, wet around the area in which you are burning
- Keep piles of debris small
- Make sure the pile of debris is at least 50ft away from a structure