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RALEIGH – Today’s (Wednesday) welcomed rainfall is responsible for ending a ban on open burning in a majority of North Carolina counties, to include all in the Roanoke-Chowan area.

Additionally, a separate burn ban enacted by the Hertford County Fire Marshal was lifted as of 12 noon on Wednesday.

The N.C. Forest Service ended the burn ban at 12 noon on Dec. 8 for the following counties in North Carolina: Anson, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Cabarrus, Camden, Carteret, Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Chowan, Clay, Cleveland, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Graham, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Macon, Martin, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Richmond, Robeson, Rutherford, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Swain, Tyrell, Union, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne and Wilson.

The ban, which went into effect Nov. 29 due to hazardous forest fire conditions, remains in place for the additional 33 North Carolina counties. Those counties are shown in red on the map included with this story.

“The rainfall we are seeing across much of the state right now is doing what we need it to do,” said North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Forest fuels are soaking it in, and conditions are improving.

“Residents in the 67 counties no longer under the state’s burn ban should still burn responsibly, check for local burning restrictions, and make sure you have a valid permit,” Troxler added. “Check the weather, and never leave a debris fire unattended. If you’re in one of the 33 counties still under the state’s burn ban, please be patient and hold off on burning.”

Hertford County Fire Marshal Chris Smith lifted the burn ban he issued by proclamation on Dec. 1. That ban prohibited the burning of rubbish as well as bonfires extending 100 feet outward of a residence. Smith said Wednesday’s rainfall locally was enough to end the ban.

As of noon, burn permits are available in the 67 counties no longer included in the state’s ban on open burning. Residents can obtain a burn permit from any authorized permitting agent or online at www.ncforestservice.gov/burnpermit. For the 67 counties no longer included in the ban, all burn permits previously granted were canceled when the ban became effective. A valid permit must be obtained.

Residents with questions regarding their specific county can contact their N.C. Forest Service county ranger or their county fire marshal’s office. To find contact information for your local NCFS county ranger, visit www.ncforestservice.gov/contacts.