West Jefferson Fire Department

07/01/2026

As we celebrate Independence Day with family, friends, cookouts, and fireworks, the Ashe County Emergency Management and Fire Marshal's Office encourages everyone to make safety their top priority.

A few simple precautions can help prevent fires, injuries, and emergencies this holiday:

🎆 Leave fireworks to the professionals whenever possible. Public fireworks displays are the safest way to celebrate.

🎇 If you choose to use legal consumer fireworks:

Read and follow all manufacturer instructions.
Keep children and pets a safe distance away.
Never allow children to handle or ignite fireworks, including sparklers, which can burn at temperatures exceeding 2,000°F.
Never hold fireworks in your hand or point them toward another person.
Light only one firework at a time and move away quickly.
Never attempt to relight a malfunctioning firework. Wait at least 20 minutes, then soak it thoroughly in water before disposal.
Always keep a garden hose or bucket of water nearby.

🔥 Practice Safe Grilling

Keep grills at least 10 feet away from homes, decks, vehicles, and other combustible materials.
Never leave a grill unattended while cooking.
Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the cooking area.
Ensure charcoal is completely extinguished before disposal.

🚒 Protect Ashe County
Dry vegetation, wooded areas, and changing weather conditions can allow even a small spark to become a serious fire. Please use extra caution, especially around fields, wooded areas, and homes.

If a fire starts or an emergency occurs, call 911 immediately. Early reporting can help protect lives, homes, and property.

From all of us at the Ashe County Emergency Management and Fire Marshal's Office, we wish you and your family a safe, happy, and enjoyable Fourth of July.

Celebrate responsibly. Celebrate safely.

05/24/2026

04/28/2026

WEST JEFFERSON — Keith Hartzog can cook a mean steak.

04/27/2026

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

04/25/2026

04/21/2026

04/06/2026

As of April 6, 2026, the state-issued ban on open burning remains in effect for all 100 counties. The ban was enacted Saturday, March 28 due to hazardous forest fire conditions.

The ban prohibits outdoor burning of any kind, anywhere in the state, until further notice.

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