Burning Permits
Burning Permits
Open Burning Permit
Open Burning Permits are available at the Main Station from 8am to 5pm 7 days a week or you can go to the North Carolina Forest Service Website (by clicking the icon above) to obtain a permit online.
Permissible Residential Burning: The open burning of leaves, tree branches or yard trimmings originating on the premises of private residences and burned on those premises in areas where there is no public pickup is available and such burning is done between the hours of 8am and 6pm and shall not create a nuisance.
A permit is no longer required for the burning of machine piled brush, that is the result of land clearing. However, all land clearing open burning must comply with the regulations. The piles to be burned must be piled to promote good combustion, therefore no stumps or logs over 12 inches in diameter and no dirt shall be included in the pile. The piles shall be 500 feet from the nearest occupied structure. Exceptions can be made in advance with documentation and approval. Burning must be done on a burning day and between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., with no material added to the fire after 6:00 p.m. It is preferable to burn early during the approved time so that the burning will be complete prior to evening inversions that inhibit smoke dispersion.
Air Quality and open burning
Click on the image above to be taken to the Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency website for more information about Open Burning in Buncombe County including regulations, Frequently Asked Questions and fines for illegal burning.
The decision to allow open burning is normally made by Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency.
Prior to burning you should call 828-250-6777, select option 1; you will listen to a short message and be instructed if open burning is allowed. You should then obtain a burning permit.
During incidents of dry or drought conditions, the North Carolina Forest Service may issue a regional or state wide burning ban. This burning ban would override Air Quality and void any burning permits issued for the duration of the burning ban.
Please assist us in protecting you and your neighbors and keeping our Wild-lands intact by complying with all State and Federal fire laws and all air pollution laws, ordinances and regulations.
Be safe while preforming any outdoor burning
