© 2024 WFAE

Mailing Address:
WFAE 90.7
P.O. Box 896890
Charlotte, NC 28289-6890
Tax ID: 56-1803808
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

High-pressure system brings freeze, fire danger in Western North Carolina

Smoke from the 2023 Collett Ridge fire could be seen throughout the region.
U.S. Forest Service
Smoke from the 2023 Collett Ridge fire could be seen throughout the region.

As winter makes its final stand, Western North Carolina grapples with a sudden temperature drop and heightened fire risk on the eve of spring's arrival.

A Canadian high-pressure system moving over the Southeast is bringing a brief but sharp decrease in temperatures, with lows expected to plummet into the 20s Monday night. A freeze warning has been issued for Polk and Rutherford counties.

"It just happened to fall on the first day of spring," noted Doug Outlaw, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Greenville-Spartanburg office.

Despite the chilly forecast, no precipitation is expected, said Outlaw. Instead, the combination of gusty winds and low humidity levels increases the fire risk in the region. The NWS issued an increased fire danger statement in effect until 8 p.m. for Madison, Yancey, Mitchell, Buncombe, Transylvania, Henderson, Polk, and Eastern McDowell.

Buncombe County implemented a 48-hour open burning ban effective from 9 a.m. Monday. The ban prohibits residents from burning yard waste and debris, or conducting land clearing burns, according to a statement from the county. Exceptions are made for fires contained in pits, barbecue grills, or chiminea devices smaller than three feet in diameter.

The burn ban is set to expire on Wednesday, March 20, at 9 a.m., when winds are expected to die down and humidity levels rise. The next chance for rain comes on Friday.

Helen Chickering is a host and reporter on Blue Ridge Public Radio. She joined the station in November 2014.