Mt. Gilead Fire Dept.

05/08/2026

Starting tomorrow the burn ban for montgomery county will be lifted.

05/05/2026

⚠️ INCREASED FIRE DANGER TODAY ⚠️
From Noon to 8 PM, there is an increased fire danger for the northern/western Piedmont and western Sandhills of central NC. Low humidity (25-30%) + gusts up to 30 mph + dry fuels = rapidly spreading fires.

05/03/2026

The forest service is lifting the ban on burning in several counties starting tomorrow. HOWEVER, MONTGOMERY IS STILL LISTED UNDER A BURN BAN. Please refrain from burning until further notice!

04/27/2026

Statewide Burn Ban Remains in Effect!

The statewide burn ban remains in effect until further notice despite weekend rain in some areas. Persistent dry weather and increasing rainfall deficits from the last several months have left most of the state needing 10 inches of rain or more.

“While the rainfall we received over the weekend was a welcome sight, it offered little to no relief from widespread drought conditions while being nowhere near enough to reduce our wildfire risk,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Even the areas that received the heaviest amount of rain will quickly dry out from the sunshine and warmer temperatures. Until we get some additional rain and see more green-up in our forests, holding the burn ban in place statewide is the best option right now.”

While green-up and leaf-out are progressing at normal rate, low soil moisture, dry surface fuels and persistent low humidity are contributing to wildfire activity. For Western North Carolina, excessive forest fuels from Hurricane Helene are more available now than they were in 2025, low water levels in coastal areas have helped produce intense fire behavior where ground fire will likely be a long-term issue, and the Piedmont experienced 87 new wildfire starts over the weekend alone. Extended attack and mop-up efforts will be taxing and long-winded until drought conditions improve.

Read news release: https://bit.ly/497dNht

04/15/2026

Due to the worsening drought conditions and increasingly high fire danger the US Forest Service has implemented fire restrictions starting tomorrow April 15th on all 4 USFS land in North Carolina to include the Uwharrie NF. And yes the STATEWIDE BURN BAN issued by the NC Forest Service is still in effect.

Forest Service News Release

Contact: Adam Rondeau
(828) 767-3448
[email protected]

Fire restrictions on all four National Forests in North Carolina beginning April 15

Dry conditions and fire danger remain high across North Carolina

ASHEVILLE, N.C., April 14, 2026—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service will restrict all open burning and campfires outside of developed recreation sites on North Carolina’s four national forests starting Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in response to the elevated fire danger occurring across the state.

The restriction includes building, maintaining or using an open fire, campfire or stove fire on the Pisgah, Nantahala, Uwharrie and Croatan National Forests. Visitors are still permitted to use commercially available fuel stoves, such as portable propane camp stoves or covered charcoal grills. Forest Service-provided grills, metal fire rings and firepits are also available for public use at developed recreation sites and campgrounds while the restriction is in effect.

These restrictions will remain in effect until there is a change in fire danger to reduce the risk of human-caused fires during unusually high fire danger and/or burning conditions.

Fire professionals analyze several factors when deciding to enact fire restrictions. These factors include the number of human-caused fires, fire danger ratings, persistent adverse weather conditions, fuel moisture conditions, and the potential threat to firefighters and public safety.

The restriction on the four federally managed national forests follows the statewide ban issued on all open burning.

For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/r08/northcarolina, follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook (www.facebook.com/nfsnc), or contact the local district ranger’s office.

04/11/2026

The statewide burn ban is still in effect.

03/28/2026

Effective IMMEDIATELY! The North Carolina Forest Service has issued a STATEWIDE Burning ban starting TONIGHT AT 6PM. All outdoor burning is prohibited and all Burning permits are canceled. Anyone violating this ban will face a minimum of a $283 fine! The ban will be lifted only when significant rainfall occurs.

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

03/23/2026

Fire danger is high, especially during the afternoon and evening hours. Fires can start almost immediately and easily from all causes. Fires can spread rapidly and intensify quickly. Spot fires can be a constant danger.

Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged.

🎯Check fire danger: https://climate.ncsu.edu/fire/.
🎯Check weather alerts for your area: weather.gov.
🎯Contact your local NCFS county ranger. https://bit.ly/3lpoWR0

Spread prevention, not wildfire.

03/22/2026

An Increased Fire Danger statement has been issued for Monday for areas along and west of US-1. Outdoor burning is discouraged tomorrow.

03/22/2026