In response to the fires in Guilford County and surrounding areas, Governor Cooper has extended the “State of Emergency” into Guilford County and neighboring regions. This state of emergency is in place to provide support and ensure safety for those affected by the wildfires.
“We remain in touch with local officials to provide assistance where necessary and address the health and safety risks posed by the fires in the western part of our state.” Cooper said in a post on Platform X.
The events leading up to this situation began earlier in the month. On November 8, Governor Cooper initially declared a state of emergency for North Carolina areas grappling with wildfires and drought, heightening the risk of fires, as reported by WFMY News 2. In the article, Cooper expressed gratitude for the firefighters and first responders tirelessly working to extinguish these blazes.
In addition to the governor’s initial action, other measures were taken at various levels. In a WFMY News 2 article, Director of North Carolina Emergency Management Will Ray stated, “The expanded state of emergency will continue to extend support to local jurisdictions and partner agencies impacted by the ongoing wildfires with the resources they need.” The North Carolina Emergency Management urges all citizens of North Carolina to adhere to forest service and public safety guidelines for wildfire safety.
Few days later some changes were made addressing specific parts of North Carolina. On Wednesday, November 22, Cooper lifted a burn ban for 30 counties, as reported by the NC Forest Service. The rescission was effective at 5 p.m. on November 22, making burn permits available in multiple counties. North Carolina officials attribute careless burning as one of the primary causes of these fires, prompting the imposition of the burn ban.
