ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Much of Western North Carolina remains locked in an unusually dry pattern this spring, with drought conditions intensifying across the region and pushing fire danger to elevated levels even as a weekend storm system approaches.
According to drought monitoring data from drought.gov, Buncombe County is fully affected by drought conditions, impacting an estimated 238,000 residents. The county has seen no meaningful change in drought status over the past week or month. Officials report March ranked as the eighth-driest on record in the past 132 years, running 2.62 inches below normal. Year-to-date totals from January through March rank as the sixth-driest on record, with rainfall deficits exceeding 5 inches.
The prolonged dryness has prompted continued wildfire prevention measures across the state. The North Carolina Forest Service says a statewide ban on all open burning remains in effect, citing dry fuels, low humidity and gusty conditions that allow fires to ignite and spread rapidly. Officials are also warning residents to use extreme caution with equipment, vehicles and any activity capable of producing sparks.
“Any fire that develops has the potential to spread quickly,” the National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg said in a Thursday outlook, noting very warm temperatures and critically low afternoon humidity will continue through the end of the week…