MT PLEASANT, N.C. — Firefighters in Cabarrus County are wanting the public to be aware of the burn ban that is in place across North Carolina.
Midland Fire & Rescue shared different instances on Sunday where crews had to respond to outside fires.
Midland Fire and Rescue said since 7 a.m. Saturday, they've responded to about 13 outside fires. The majority, of those fires are being labeled illegal burns.
"Every outside fire is illegal, except a grill and that grill has to be within 100 feet of your home," David Bradshaw, public information officer with Midland Fire and Rescue, said. "So, in essence, a cooking fire. So you can't go out to a campsite and have a cooking fire and make it legal just because it's cooking."
Just last week, the Cabarrus County Fire Marshal’s Office issued a ban that prohibits any open burning within 100 feet of a structure. Officials say "extremely dry weather conditions" led to the ban.
The ban will stay in effect until further notice. It coincides with the statewide ban that took effect today (November 29) at 5 p.m. and prohibits all open burning conducted more than 100 feet from a structure.
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.
Officials also suspended issuing new burning permits.
The incidents come less than a week after hundreds of acres were burned by fires throughout North Carolina.