North Carolina Lifts Burning Ban

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North Carolina lifted an outdoor burning ban, hoping to burn off excess forest debris in preparation for the spring fire season.

Outdoor burning became allowable after noon on March 1. Officials said recent rainfall has made it safe to conduct controlled burns.

Controlled burning can help limit the amount of excess underbrush that can catch fire during the spring fire season and fuel the spread of wildfires. The burning ban has been used intermittently since last summer and was last imposed two weeks ago because of dry weather and depleted water resources.

Removing the burning ban also takes pressure of firefighters and wildfire observers who must respond to every smoke report when the ban is in place.