As autumn arrives in northeastern North Carolina, residents face more than just falling leaves and cooler temperatures. The region is entering its peak wildfire season, and state officials are calling on homeowners to take action now to protect their properties.
A Preventable Problem
The statistics are sobering: between July 2024 and June 2025, the N.C. Forest Service responded to nearly 5,600 wildfires that scorched more than 34,000 acres across the state. What’s even more striking is that human activity caused more than 99% of these fires.
“Most of our wildfires are avoidable,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler in a press release. “Wildfire prevention and risk reduction are two important areas that each of us have the ability to directly impact.”
Common culprits include backyard debris burning, machinery and vehicle use, arson, and campfires that get out of control. With wildfire activity typically ramping up from October through early December, now is the time for northeast NC residents to prepare.
Creating Your Defensible Space
Protecting your home from wildfire doesn’t require expensive renovations—just some strategic maintenance. The N.C. Forest Service recommends focusing on a 30-foot perimeter around your house:
Start at the top: Clear pine needles, dead leaves, and other combustible material from your roof, gutters, decks, and porches. When embers rain down during a wildfire, these are the first places they’ll land.
Remove fuel sources: Rake leaves and mulch at least five feet away from your home’s foundation. That decorative mulch bed touching your deck? It’s a fire hazard. Wood piles, spare lumber, unused vehicles, and boats should be moved beyond the 30-foot zone.
Trim strategically: Cut back shrubs and tree branches within five feet of your house, and remove any branches hanging over your roof.
Think about embers: Store outdoor furniture cushions, mats, and potted plants indoors. Screen your windows and seal openings where wind-driven embers could sneak inside and ignite your home from within.
Safe Burning Practices
For many rural residents in northeastern North Carolina, burning yard debris is a way of life. But doing it safely is critical:
- Get a permit before burning. Visit your local N.C. Forest Service office or apply online at https://apps.ncagr.gov/burnpermits/.
- Check the forecast and never burn on dry or windy days.
- Keep fires small and always have water, a rake, a shovel, and a phone within reach.
- Never walk away until the fire is completely extinguished — drown embers with water, stir them, and soak again until they’re cold to the touch.
- Skip the accelerants. Using gasoline, kerosene, or diesel fuel to speed up burning is dangerous and unnecessary.
Protecting Your Health
Wildfire smoke isn’t just a nuisance — it’s a health hazard, especially for children, older adults, and people with respiratory conditions. Northeast NC residents should bookmark air quality monitoring resources like www.ncair.org and www.airnow.gov to stay informed during wildfire season.
The Time to Act Is Now
While some wildfires result from lightning strikes or downed power lines, the vast majority are preventable. By taking simple steps to create defensible space around your home and following safe burning practices, northeastern North Carolina residents can significantly reduce their wildfire risk this fall.
For more information and resources, visit www.preventwildfirenc.org.
The N.C. Forest Service is part of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and provides fire protection to 19 million acres of private and state-owned forests.