Thursday, March 20, marked the first day of spring 2025. Forsythia, red buds, ornamental pear trees, and daffodils are in full bloom, with other flowers, bushes, and trees budding.
Even though the area just experienced a significant storm on March 15, and last September’s Hurricane Helene dumped record amounts of rain on the region, much of North Carolina is experiencing some level of drought. In fact, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), 47.8% of the state is considered “abnormally dry,” while 46.2% is experiencing a “moderate drought.” Macon County falls into the latter category.
NIDIS reports that last month in North Carolina was one of the driest Februarys on record since 1895.
No burning until further notice
Drought conditions bring threat of wildfires. Effective 8 a.m. Friday, March 21, until further notice, the N.C. Forest Service issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits statewide. In immediate response, Town Manager Amie Owens alerted area media, “In conjunction with the N.C. Forest Service Burn Ban and the announcement by the Fire Marshal [Jimmy Teem] in Macon County, the Mayor has signed a Declaration of Fire Danger Emergency.”
Signed by Town of Franklin Mayor Jack Horton, and co-signed by Town Clerk Nicole Bradley, the declaration provides residents, not just of Franklin but of Macon County as well, information regarding fire-related restrictions and prohibitions. (See sidebar on this page.)
Some in WNC experience mandatory evacuations
Over this past weekend, the Carolinas made national news due to evacuations issued in parts of North and South Carolina. Polk County, on the other side of Hendersonville, roughly 110 miles from Macon County, is experiencing three active fires scorching more than 5,700 acres with little containment, destroying at least three homes, multiple other buildings and forcing mandatory evacuations.
On Tuesday, March 25, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest reported a wildfire in Rabun County that has already affected 300 acres since it first started on Saturday.
On Wednesday afternoon, a Swain County fire has burned more than 600 acres, about 6 miles south of Bryson City in the Alarka Community.
A Polk County spokesperson, Kellie Cannon, was quoted in a news report on Sunday, “It’s not just the high winds, the low humidity, the steep terrain, but they’re also dealing with storm debris [from Hurricane Helene] that’s blocking UTV trails, regular roads, and even preventing them from getting in on foot because we have so many trees down.”
Such are the current conditions in most of Western North Carolina. And, although Macon County and surrounding regions experienced some rain at the beginning of this week, and more rain is expected this weekend, a winter’s worth of dry leaves and innumerable dead and dying trees because of September’s hurricane means there is plenty to fuel wildfires. On Tuesday, a Red Flag Warning was issued by the National Weather Service warning of continuing dry air and high winds which produces critical fire conditions. Sustained winds of 10 to 20 mph, with gusts of 25 to 35 mph were expected across much of the area Tuesday afternoon. The warning was set to expire Tuesday night.
For further information on the Forest Service’s ban, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides information at www.ncagr.gov.
Town of Franklin issues burn ban
“WHEREAS, weather or other conditions exist which may make the open burning of any substance unduly hazardous and a danger to public safety, and in conjunction with the North Carolina Forest Service’s burn ban which was instituted on March 21, 2025 at 8 a.m. the Mayor has declared a “Fire Danger Emergency”; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the above-described emergency I have determined that there is an imminent threat of, or existing conditions may cause or could cause, widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property; and
WHEREAS, declaring a Fire Danger Emergency and imposing the restrictions and prohibitions ordered herein is necessary to maintain order and protect public health, safety, and welfare, and to secure property.
NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested in me as the Mayor of the Town of Franklin under Article I A of Chapter 166A of the North Carolina General Statutes and Chapter 34 of the Town of Franklin Code of Ordinances:
Section 1. A Fire Danger Emergency is hereby declared within the jurisdiction of Franklin.
Section 2. The emergency area covered by this state of emergency shall be the town limits of the Town of Franklin and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Section 3. The following restrictions and prohibitions are imposed:
All open burning of any substance shall be prohibited within any or all of the Town of Franklin until such time as the burn ban declaration from the North Carolina Forest Service has been rescinded; and
Open burning means the intentional burning of any substance, whether natural or manmade, or the intentional casting off of any burning substance, whether natural or manmade, except the burning of such substance in a container sufficient so as to prohibit the escape of any of the burning substance, or any sparks, flames or hot ashes from the container; and
The escape of any of such burning substance, or the escape of any sparks, flames or hot ashes from any such container shall be deemed prima facie evidence that the container was insufficient so as to meet the exception from the definition of an open burning set forth herein.
The maintaining of a fire in any interior fireplace, stove or furnace is specifically excluded from the definition of an open burning as contemplated by this declaration.
Section 4. I hereby order all Town of Franklin law enforcement officers, employees, and all other emergency management personnel subject to our control to cooperate in the enforcement and implementation of the provisions of this Declaration, all applicable local ordinances, state and federal laws, and the Town of Franklin Emergency Operations Plan.
Section 5. I hereby order this declaration: (a) to be distributed to the news media and other organizations calculated to bring its contents to the attention of the general public; (b) to be filed with Clerk to the Town of Franklin Town Council and (c) to be distributed to others as necessary to ensure proper implementation of this declaration.
Section 6. This declaration shall take effect on March 21, at 12 p.m., and shall remain in effect until modified or rescinded.