Prohibited burning includes fire pits, campfires, burn barrels and other ember-producing fires
Special to Iredell Free News
Mooresville Fire Marshal Geoff Woolard has joined other local municipalities by issuing a ban on all outdoor burning, including within 100 feet of any structure.
The ban goes into effect Friday, December 3, at 5 p.m. and lasts until further notice, based on drought condition improvements and the status of the statewide ban on burning, issued earlier this week by the N.C. Forestry Service.
“Outdoor open burning of yard waste, such as leaves, branches, and plant material, construction materials, lumber, and other products, including trash, newspapers, or other non-vegetative material is prohibited at all times under Mooresville Municipal Code Section 10-12,” Woolard explained. “With the extremely dry conditions we are experiencing, we felt it was important to take this precautionary step to avoid a small backyard campfire quickly spreading to a nearby home or other property.”
The ban on open burning applies to fire pits (commercial or constructed), campfires and bonfires, outdoor chimneys and chimeneas, burn barrels for warming fires, and other types of fires that may produce embers. The ban does not include cooking appliances, such as outdoor stoves and grills.
The fire department and Fire Marshal are authorized to prohibit open burning under the North Carolina Fire Code Section 307.1.1, “when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous.”
“We did not make this decision lightly, as we understand the desire of our residents to enjoy backyard or community fire pits as they relax and spend time with family and friends during this holiday season,” said Woolard. “However, with many of our homes close to each other and the high potential for a fire to spread very fast, we believe this is in the best interest of the community.”
The burn ban by Mooresville mirrors that of the statewide ban, as well as local cities and towns in the region.
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For more information on the burn ban, call the Mooresville Fire Department at 704-664-1338.