Durham, NC Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)

The following practices can help prevent wildfires. Debris Burning Check for any burning bans or fire restrictions that may be in effect for your area. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours while others forbid it entirely. Make sure to get a valid burn permit. Contact your NCFS county ranger’s office for the names and locations of the nearest local permitting agent or use our online burning permit system. Keep an eye on the weather. Don't burn on dry, windy days. Consider alternatives to burning. Some types of vegetative debris, such as leaves, grass and stubble, may be of more value if used for compost. It is always illegal to burn household trash or anything other than vegetative matter. Building and Putting Out Campfires Build campfires away from overhanging branches, steep slopes, rotten stumps, logs, dry grass and leaves. Pull any extra wood away from the fire. Keep plenty of water handy, and have a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire if it gets out of control. Start your campfire with dry twigs and small sticks. Add larger sticks as the fire builds up. Put the largest pieces of wood on last, pointing them toward the center of the fire, gradually pushing them into the flames. Keep your campfire small. A good bed of coals or a small fire surrounded by rocks gives plenty of heat. Scrape away litter, duff and any burnable material within a 10-foot (3 meter) diameter circle around the fire. This will keep a small campfire from spreading. Burn Bans Check for any current local and state burn bans that may restrict outdoor burning. Contact your fire department or NCFS county ranger’s office to make sure you are not violating any open burning regulations.