Apex fire officials are telling residents to put the flames on hold. A townwide open-burning ban is now in effect inside town limits after crews reported an uptick in brush fires, and the local order stacks on top of both a statewide ban and a separate Wake County restriction that cover much of the Triangle.
What’s banned in Apex
According to the Apex Fire Department, the townwide ban blocks campfires, fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, burning barrels and the burning of leaves, branches or yard debris within Apex town limits, including within 100 feet of any occupied dwelling. The department also reminded residents that burning trash, lumber, tires, plastics or other non-vegetative materials is always illegal.
Cooking fires are allowed only in grills or approved outdoor cooking devices, and only if someone is watching them and a way to put the fire out is close at hand. Fire Marshal Karl Huegerich wrote that the town made the call "given the continued dry conditions and no substantial rainfall expected in the forecast," according to the department’s post on Facebook.
State and county orders widen restrictions
The N.C. Forest Service issued a statewide ban on all open burning effective 6 p.m. on March 28 and canceled all burning permits until further notice, according to the N.C. Forest Service. The agency recommended that county rangers and fire marshals help with enforcement.
On top of that, Wake County adopted its own local restriction that covers fires within 100 feet of structures, as reported by ABC11.
Penalties and enforcement
State guidance says the ban "prohibits all open burning statewide, regardless of whether a permit was previously issued," and that violators can be hit with a $100 fine plus $183 in court costs, according to the N.C. Forest Service.
Local law enforcement and fire personnel, including Apex crews, are helping enforce the rules, and the Apex Fire Department says it will re-evaluate conditions in the coming days.
How residents can stay safe
Fire officials are urging residents to postpone any backyard or yard-debris burning and to stick with gas or charcoal grills for cooking instead of open fires. Keep a fire extinguisher or garden hose ready, make sure all smoking materials are completely out before you toss them, and call 911 to report brush fires or suspected violations.
Anyone with questions can contact the Apex Fire Marshal’s office through the Town of Apex. For more details, check out the Apex Fire Department’s Facebook post and the N.C. Forest Service guidance linked above.
