Cabarrus Fire Marshal lifts burn ban

Published on May 08, 2026

Thanks to the long-awaited recent downpours, Cabarrus County Fire Marshal Jacob Thompson announced that the burn ban for unincorporated Cabarrus County is lifted as of 8 a.m. on Friday, May 8.

The ban had been in place locally and statewide for more than a month due to dry, hazardous conditions. As of May 8, 2026, residents can apply for a burn permit here: https://apps.ncagr.gov/burnpermits/

Officials remind residents to use caution when open burning. Tips include:

Maintain a safe distance from structures
Have an extinguishing method available
Tend to the fire at all times
Only sticks, limbs, leaves and other natural yard debris should be burned

All other North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality regulations should be followed. Learn more here: https://www.deq.nc.gov/.../air-quality.../open-burning

Review Cabarrus County ordinances and other information at https://www.cabarruscounty.us/.../Departments/Fire-Services or contact the Fire Services office directly at 704-920-2143.