Update on wildfire activity in Buncombe County

Press release from Buncombe County:

As of 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26 there are currently no wildfire evacuation orders in place for Buncombe County. The wildfire currently burning in the Dix Creek Community in Leicester is currently at 70 acres and 0% contained. Crews are on scene and managing the fire lines.

West Buncombe Fire Department and North Carolina Fire Service have worked with property owners in the area throughout the evening to create defensible lines around structures. As humidity is rising and the winds have died down slightly the fire behavior has decreased.

With several active wildfires in the area please reference this map, provided by the NC Fire Service, for the most recent information on wildfires in our County.

We know that our community has been through so much. Let’s band together and work together to keep each other safe. We urge all residents to remain vigilant and take immediate precautions to protect lives and property.

Key Recommendations: 

• Prevent fires:
  • Farmland burning is not allowed during this ban as it is covered under the state ban. One exception to the burn ban are small cooking and warming fires less than 3 feet in diameter, less than 2 feet in flame height, and 15 feet from a structure and wood line.
  • Due to the critical nature of the wildfires, anyone who violates the burn ban will face monetary fines, criminal charges, and will be prosecuted. You can track updates on wildfire activity and safety measures through the NC Forest Service’s Fire Response System at this link: https://ncfspublic.firesponse.com/
  • Prepare your home if you live near the wood line or in an urban interface. Clean all combustibles from areas 25-50 feet away from your home.
  • Don’t store combustibles (firewood, gas, kerosene, oil) against your home or under decks.
  • If you have a heating source outside such as an oil or propane tank, clear anything that will burn away from that tank.
  • Clean leaves, limbs, and other dead vegetation from your home including gutters.
  • Prepare your household now in the event that you must leave suddenly. Plan your evacuation route now.
• Sign up for emergency alerts by texting BCAlert to 99411.
• Please listen to local authorities, make sure your cell phone is charged and that you have emergency alerts enabled on your phone. If you live in the area, please make preparations to evacuate if asked to do so.