Burn bans will continue throughout the region as morning rain showers did little to quell drought conditions on Monday.
The average rainfall Monday morning was a few hundredths of an inch for the region, including Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, McDowell and Iredell counties, National Weather Service Meteorologist Andrew Kimball with the Greenville-Spartanburg office said.
As of 11:15 a.m., most of the front moved east out of the region. Kimball said light rain is possible throughout the afternoon, but unlikely. Another front will move east through the Tennessee border on Tuesday. Kimball said the front is expected to die out in the North Carolina mountains.
The next possibility for significant rain is Sunday. Kimball said with precipitation trends decreasing, the possibility of rain on Sunday could change as the week continues.
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Burn bans continue
Federal, state and local fire agencies issued burn bans across North Carolina on Friday. Those bans remain in effect until further notice.
Despite the bans, fire departments across Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, McDowell and Iredell counties responded to numerous fire-related calls over the weekend.
"Rainfall does not automatically lift a burn ban," Burke County Chief Fire Marshal Robert Bishop said.
In Burke County, officials received about 20 calls for illegal burns while firefighters from departments across Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties battled a nearly 150-acre blaze off Old Amherst Road in northern Burke County, Bishop said.
In Catawba County, there were dozens of burns over the weekend.
“We have responded to a total of 66 illegal burns since Friday at 8 a.m.†Catawba County Fire Marshal Troy Scott said on Monday. “Since we are under a state-mandated burn ban, all of them are considered illegal.â€
The Hickory Fire Department responded to a total of 13 calls starting at 8 a.m. on Friday through Sunday night. Hickory Fire Education Coordinator Terri Byers said most of the fires were attributed to homeless people or residents unaware of the burn bans. No tickets were issued by the Hickory Fire Department.
McDowell County received 14 reports of illegal burns from Friday through Sunday, McDowell County Emergency Management Director Will Kehler said.Â
“This morning's rainfall was less than 0.10 of an inch in most locations, which will do little to decrease the wildfire threat,†McDowell County Emergency Management said in a news release. “Gusty winds are expected to develop this afternoon which will lead to increased fire danger. Open burning is not permitted at this time. The burn ban remains in place to protect life and property. Report all fires to 911.â€
Caldwell County Emergency Services received 52 calls concerning fires over the weekend, Caldwell County Public Information Officer Paige Counts said.
Local burn bans in McDowell, Burke, Catawba and Iredell counties prohibit any open burning within 100 feet of a structure.
The state burn ban prohibits any burning more than 100 feet from a structure. The federal ban, issued by the U.S. Forest Service, prohibits any burning in any national forests in North Carolina.
