Burke County Fire Marshal’s Office

07/21/2026

More Train Traffic Starting Tuesday

Beginning Tuesday, July 21, additional Norfolk Southern freight trains are expected to travel through Burke County as rail service resumes west of Asheville.

Drivers and pedestrians should use extra caution at railroad crossings throughout the county. Always stop, look, and listen; obey crossing signals, and never drive around lowered gates.

Please stay alert and allow extra travel time.

07/16/2026

Please be aware!

07/05/2026

07/02/2026

FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS SAFETY MESSAGE

BURKE COUNTY – The Burke County Fire Marshal’s Office would like to remind the residents and visitors of Burke County to celebrate this Fourth of July safely. Fireworks can be a fun tradition for families as you celebrate this holiday.

The improper use of fireworks can lead to fires, injuries, or even death. Those using fireworks should only use fireworks
according to the manufacturer's instructions and those that are legal for use in North Carolina.

In 2025, there were an estimated 13,000 injuries and 15 fireworks-related deaths in the US. While there is currently no Burn Ban in Burke County, our area is still experiencing drought conditions. The improper use of fireworks can result in out-of-control fires that could damage property and be a danger to life and safety.

Illegal Fireworks

Certain fireworks are illegal to transport across state lines, sell, possess, or discharge in North Carolina. This includes, but
is not limited to:

Firecrackers
Ground Spinners
Roman Candles
Bottle Rockets
Any other aerial type fireworks
Any other fireworks that explode on the ground

Legal Fireworks

In general, sparklers, fountains, and novelty fireworks items that do not explode or are not intended to spin or project into the air are permitted for use in North Carolina.

Legal fireworks include:

Snake and glow worms
Smoke devices consisting of a tube or sphere that produce white or colored smoke
Trick noisemakers, including party poppers, string poppers, and snappers
Wire sparklers

Illegal Fireworks Violations

The criminal charge for illegal fireworks is “possession of pyrotechnics”, a class 2 misdemeanor punishable by fines of up
to $500 and up to 6 months in jail.

Have a safe Fourth of July!

07/02/2026

Emergency Responders Working Structure Fire on Putnam Street

BURKE COUNTY – At 7:43 p.m., Burke County Emergency Communications received a 911 call from an individual reporting they were trapped inside a burning home on Putnam Street in Morganton, and the individual could not get out.

The call was immediately dispatched, and a nearby emergency responder arrived on scene within minutes, confirmed a working structure fire, received the patient's location from dispatch,
heroically entered the burning residence and safely removed the occupant from the structure.

The responder who performed the rescue sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident and has been transported to UNC Health Blue Ridge – Morganton for further evaluation.

The fire remains active at this time, and firefighters continue suppression operations.

Agencies currently working the fire include the Chesterfield Fire and Rescue, Oak Hill Fire and Rescue, the Triple Community Fire Department, Burke County Emergency Medical Services, and Burke
County Emergency Services.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Burke County Fire Marshal's Office.

Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

06/12/2026

It is going to be very hot today. Make.time to take frequent water breaks if outside. Even if you're inside, drink plenty of water.

06/05/2026

Update: 3:00pm: The fire was burning in the structure, and that fire extended into the woods only about 15 ft due to radiant heat. There is no wildfire, and crews continue to work on the fire within the structure.

Burke County Alert...Multiple fire departments are responding to and are on scene in the area of 3716 Leger Road. This is a working structure fire that has resulted in small wildfire. At this time, no one is in danger, and no evacuations are required. Monitor Smart911 and official Burke County Government outlets for information. Lovelady Fire has command and is receiving mutual aid assistance from the Valdese Fire Department, the North Catawba Fire Department, the George Hildebran Fire Department, the Triple Community Fire Department, the Burke County Fire Marshal, and communications assistance from the Burke County Emergency Communications Center.

05/20/2026

05/20/2026

Via U.S. Forest Service
Firefighters are responding to a fire along Old NC 105 in the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. Crews are building containment lines surrounding the fire as it burns on both sides of the road south of the intersection on Forest Service Road 106.

At the this time, there are no closures but, the public is advised to avoid the areas and pay attention to any notices or posted closures so firefighters have the space to operate safely.

More information will be shared as it becomes available.

Smoke may affect nearby communities and roadways, especially as smoke settles in the evening and during morning commutes. Use caution if driving in the area. Check current road conditions at www.drivenc.gov/. For air quality information, visit fire.airnow.gov.

For wildfire updates follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nfsnc.

The National Forests in North Carolina is a resource to be shared and enjoyed by everybody. Our social media is intended to reflect equitable access to this resource and to provide information and facilitate discussions about our services. We want this to be a productive and positive place for all users to engage in conversations related to land management. Follow Facebook’s terms of service and community standards. In some cases, we may delete comments that are abusive or threatening, blatantly hateful and discriminatory, off-topic, irrelevant, spam, or illegal content. Further, we may report such comments to Facebook. See the USDA comment policy for additional details: https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/usda-comment-policy