The City of Concord Fire Marshal’s Office has issued a ban that prohibits burning within 100 feet of a structure. The ban is effective for all areas within the city limits beginning November 30, 2021 until further notice.
The city’s burning ban coincides with the ban issued by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture that took effect on November 29 at 5:00 p.m., which prohibits all open burning conducted more than 100 feet from a structure, until further notice.
Any previously issued burning permits are now invalid and fires should be extinguished immediately. This includes any outdoor burning at a residence. Anyone in violation of the burning ban could receive a citation/fine. The issuance of new burning permits has also been suspended.
The open burning ban is authorized by the City of Concord’s Fire Prevention Division per the N.C. State Building Code: Fire Prevention Code Section 307, and Chapter 34 of the City of Concord’s Fire Prevention and Protection Ordinance to help prevent the potential for increased wildfires due to extremely dry weather conditions within the city and state.
Open burning includes the burning of leaves, branches, and other plant material in addition to the use of recreational fires, bonfires, and outdoor fireplaces. The ban does not apply to cooking fires, such as grills or outdoor cookers. In all cases, it is illegal to burn trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics, or other non-vegetative materials. Residents should be especially careful with any potential ignition sources such as cigarettes or sparks from lawn equipment.
For more information, please contact the Concord Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Division at (704) 920-5517.