Buncombe County issues 48-hour burn ban due to dry conditions, gusty winds

ASHEVILLE – As bears emerge from their dens and trees begin to bloom, early spring brings the return of fire season in Western North Carolina.

Dry conditions and gusty winds have caused Buncombe County Fire Marshal Kevin Tipton to issue a 48-hour burn ban. Beginning 9 a.m. March 18, residents cannot burn yard waste, debris, or conduct any land clearing burns, according to a Buncombe news release.

There are no fires in Buncombe County right now, Deputy Fire Marshal Chris Brown told the Citizen Times March 18. The county will continue to monitor conditions to determine whether they will extend the ban.

Dry high pressure moving in from the Plains states will bring relative humidity down to 25%, which is the limit for dangerous dry conditions, according to National Weather Service Meteorologist Doug Outlaw, who spoke to the Citizen Times March 18.

Conditions will be drier Tuesday, March 19, as relative humidity drops to 18%, Outlaw said. On March 20, humidity will increase to 30%, lifting Buncombe County out of the danger zone.

Mixing the dry weather with gusty winds creates a cocktail for fire danger. Winds will be breezy March 18, reaching around 25 mph, but will calm as the week progresses.

The county should see some relief from Mother Nature by the end of the week, as rain is expected late Thursday night and continuing into Friday. Accumulation will be limited, Outlaw said. Most of the county will see a quarter to a third of an inch of rain.

“Usually Spring fire season is not too horrific, but we’re still on that coming out of winter. Everything is just now starting to green up and bloom,” Brown said, adding that “greening up” trees will be an asset to the county’s fire prevention.

Wildfires swept through WNC during the fall, leading Gov. Roy Cooper to declare a state of emergency.

More: Asheville, other forest advocates sue U.S. Forest Service over timber target analysis

More: US Forest Service sets spring reopening date for Catawba Falls

Mitchell Black covers Buncombe County and health care for the Citizen Times. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @MitchABlack. Please help support local journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Dry conditions, gusty winds: Buncombe County issues burn ban