© 2024 Public Radio East
Public Radio For Eastern North Carolina 89.3 WTEB New Bern 88.5 WZNB New Bern 91.5 WBJD Atlantic Beach 90.3 WKNS Kinston 88.5 WHYC Swan Quarter 89.9 W210CF Greenville
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Fall fire season is here, backyard burning the #1 cause of wildfires in NC

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published October 11, 2022 at 10:52 AM EDT
A firefighter monitors a back fire while battling the Medocino Complex fire on Aug. 7, near Lodoga, Calif. The Mendocino Complex Fire, which is made up of the River Fire and Ranch Fire, has become the largest wildfire in state history with over 344,890 acres charred.
Justin Sullivan
/
Getty Images
A firefighter monitors a back fire while battling the Medocino Complex fire on Aug. 7, near Lodoga, Calif. The Mendocino Complex Fire, which is made up of the River Fire and Ranch Fire, has become the largest wildfire in state history with over 344,890 acres charred.

With fall wildfire season near, the N.C. Forest Service is reminding people to be careful when burning.

Officials say peak months for the fall fire season are October through early December and fires left unattended can get out of hand quickly, becoming wildfires that may threaten lives and property.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler says escaped fires due to careless backyard burning continue to be the leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina.

Last year there were nearly 7,000 wildfires that burned about 27,000 acres in North Carolina, and he said only 1% of them were directly linked to a natural ignition source like lightning. The other 99% were directly related to human activity.

Troxler added that some of the state’s most intense wildfires during the fall of 2021 were caused by escaped campfires.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston