Clay County NC Emergency Services

03/29/2026

Each year more than 4500 wildfires burn across North Carolina.How did they start?Ninety-nine percent of wildfires are the result of human activity such as ba...

03/29/2026

As conditions in Western North Carolina worsen, the Clay County Fire Marshal’s office has issued additional local restrictions to reduce the risk of wildfires within the City of Hayesville and Clay County.

Effective March 28, open burning is prohibited within the city limits of Hayesville and Clay County, including within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. Under this local burn ban: All burning is prohibited.

This includes:
Recreational Fires
Bonfires
Fire pits
Warming fires


Cooking fires are allowed, with the following criteria:
It is contained within a grill or similar outdoor cooking device
It is attended at all times
It is accompanied by an available means of extinguishment (fire extinguisher or hose)

This Ban remains in effect until further notice and applies to all areas within Clay County. Please note that violations of this ban could result in civil penalty.

Mark O’Connor
Clay County Fire Marshal
Office: 828-389-0274
Cell: 770-842-0557
Email: mo’[email protected]

03/28/2026

Due to increased wildfire risk, the N.C. Forest Service has issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits statewide effective 6 p.m. Saturday, March 28 until further notice.

Under North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning in the affected counties, regardless of whether a permit was previously issued. The issuance of any new permits has also been suspended until the ban is lifted. Anyone violating the burn ban faces a $100 fine plus $183 court costs. Any person responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire.

The burn ban does not apply to fires started within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. The local fire marshal has authority to issue a burn ban within those 100 feet.

Read news release: https://www.ncagr.gov/news/press-releases/2026/03/28/statewide-burn-ban-issued-north-carolina-due-hazardous-forest-fire-conditions

03/28/2026

Due to low general humidity and high winds, the Clay County Emergency Management Office is urging all citizens and visitors to refrain from any outside burning. Your help is appreciated.

01/23/2026

Clay County Emergency Management
Winter Storm Information
01/23/2026

This notice is to inform the residents of Clay County, North Carolina that county agencies are actively coordinating with one another, as well as with neighboring counties and state agencies, to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding the upcoming weather event.

We recognize that multiple weather models are circulating with varying forecasts. Please be advised that Clay County officially monitors weather conditions through the National Weather
Service office in Morristown, Tennessee. Residents may visit https://www.weather.gov/mrx/ for continuous updates and official forecasts.

The most current forecast indicates a winter weather mix beginning around noon on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Conditions are expected to transition to freezing rain later Saturday evening.
Ice accumulations are projected to range between 0.25 and 0.50 inches from approximately 9:00 PM Saturday through noon on Sunday. Due to hazardous road conditions, residents are
strongly encouraged to avoid travel during this time.

Emergency services, including Fire, EMS, the Sheriff’s Office, and 911 Communications, will remain operational throughout the event. Please be aware, however, that icy road conditions may cause delays in emergency response times.

Residents are urged to remain indoors, stay warm, and limit travel for the duration of the storm. For ongoing coverage and updates, please monitor local radio and television stations. If you have non-emergency questions during the event, please contact the following numbers:

E911 – 828-389-2256
EMS/EMA – 828-389-1233
Sheriff’s Office – 828-389-6354
Fire and Rescue – 828-389-6905

Most of the U.S. starts the week calm and unseasonably warm. The Heartland will be warmest, with highs 25–30° above average. Only the Gulf Coast stays chilly. Rain today is limited to western Washington while lake effect snow continues east of Lake Ontario. Cooler air returns after Tuesday, bring...

11/21/2025

03/15/2025

Tips for understanding tornado alerts.

What is the difference between a Tornado Watch, a Tornado Warning and a Tornado Emergency? The National Weather Service has three key alerts to watch out for.

03/15/2025

National and regional weather centers are forecasting severe storms late tonight and into the early morning. Take this time to preplan with your family in case of tornado. Remember that the safest place in the home is the interior part of a basement. If there is no basement, go to an inside room, without windows, on the lowest floor. This could be a center hallway, bathroom, or closet.

03/13/2025

Nice job yesterday by Clay County Fire & Rescue. Our firefighters responded to a brush fire 11 miles East of Hayesville on Highway 64. They were able to contain a potential disaster. Clay County received mutual aid from US and NC Forestry. All of these departments are doing an incredible job during this extremely dry season. Please continue to help these men and women out by being cautious with any outside burning.