Outdoor burning rules in Wake County, NC — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Outdoor open burning in Wake County is regulated by the NC Department of Environmental Quality (15A NCAC 02D.1903) and the NC Forest Service under NCGS §106-940 et seq. Burning trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics, or any non-vegetative material is always illegal in NC, regardless of any burn ban. Burning leaves or yard debris is prohibited where curbside collection is available — which covers virtually all of incorporated Wake County.
Fires more than 100 feet from an occupied dwelling are "open burning" under DEQ jurisdiction (15A NCAC 02D.1903) and during a NC Forest Service burn ban must cease entirely. Within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling, local government (Wake County Fire Marshal at 919-856-6340 in unincorporated areas; the municipal fire department inside towns) has jurisdiction. A NC Forest Service burn permit is required for any vegetative open burning during the forest fire season (typically Oct 1 - May 31). A statewide burn ban was issued by the NC Forest Service on March 28, 2026, and Wake County Fire Services has issued local burn bans during dry conditions; violators face Class 3 misdemeanor charges under NCGS §106-941.
Burning during a NC Forest Service burn ban is a Class 3 misdemeanor under NCGS §106-941 with fines up to $500; DEQ open-burning violations under 15A NCAC 02D.1903 carry civil penalties up to $25,000 per day under NCGS §143-215.114A; local fire-code violations are punishable under NCFC §109 and NCGS §143-138(j).
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Wake County, NC
Wake County Code §92.05(H), (I), and (L) target industrial and commercial noise: construction over 1,000 ft from residences, loading/unloading noise at night...
Wake County, NC
Wake County Code §92.05(B), (C), (F) prohibits vehicle exhaust noise from out-of-repair or modified vehicles, gong/siren on non-emergency vehicles, and any i...
Wake County, NC
Wake County treats cats the same as dogs under Ch. 91 — owners must vaccinate against rabies at 4 months and keep current tag displayed at all times per §91....
Wake County, NC
Wake County does NOT impose a numeric limit on pets in unincorporated areas. Cities vary: Raleigh allows up to 4 dogs/cats over 4 months per dwelling under §...
Wake County, NC
Wake County Code §130.05 (adopted 11-9-2022, effective 12-9-2022) prohibits firearm discharge within 300 yards of any dwelling, school, church, warehouse, pl...
Wake County, NC
Wake County does not regulate street vending in unincorporated areas (no significant pedestrian retail districts). Within Raleigh, sidewalk vending requires ...
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