Catawba County News

Catawba County Lifts Burn Ban

Published: April 02, 2025

Effective April 2, 2025, at 8:00 AM, the Catawba County Fire Marshal’s Office has officially lifted the burn ban on all open-burning activities throughout the county, including areas within 100 feet of a dwelling.

The burn ban was initially implemented in accordance with Section 307 of the 2018 North Carolina Fire Code, which was activated to mitigate the heightened risk of wildfires due to exceptionally dry weather conditions across Catawba County.

This local burn ban followed an earlier statewide order issued by the North Carolina Forest Service on March 21st, 2025, which prohibited all open burning and canceled existing burning permits in Catawba County. The Forest Service also suspended the issuance of new permits due to increased fire risks.

Under the terms of the previous ban, open burning activities, such as the burning of leaves, branches, and other plant materials, as well as recreational fires, bonfires, and outdoor fireplaces, were restricted. However, cooking fires - including those using gas, pellet, charcoal grills, and outdoor smokers - were exempt. It is important to note that burning trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics, and other non-vegetative materials remains illegal at all times.

For more information or questions regarding the burn ban, residents are encouraged to contact Catawba County Emergency Services at (828) 465-8230. Additionally, details about the North Carolina Forest Service’s regional open burning restrictions and the deployment of their Fire Prevention Education Team to Western North Carolina can be found at http://ncforestservice.gov/ under the "News" section.