Burn ban lifted; you need to have a burn permit to have a controlled burn

The N.C. Forest Service has lifted a ban on all open burning effective 8 a.m. Wednesday, April 2. The statewide ban went into effect March 21. The lifting of the burn ban does not apply to fires started within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. The local fire marshal has authority to issue or lift […]

Firefighters tame 15 fires in Cherokee; arson blamed

This story was written by Quintin Ellison, originally published in The Sylva Herald on Nov. 17. In 26 years as the Nantahala District ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, Mike Wilkins has fought a lot of wildfires in Western North Carolina. The veteran firefighter has never seen anything quite like this, however, at least not in […]