WINTON – The statewide burning ban remains in place.

Residents of northeastern North Carolina who listen and watch TV news based out of southside Virginia are apparently under the impression that the burning ban has been lifted. It has in Virginia, but not in North Carolina.

“We’ve had people coming into our office asking to obtain burning permits,” said Chris Smith of the Hertford County office of the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “When I told them that burning was still banned due to the extended drought, they said that the TV news said the ban had been lifted. I figured out what they were taking about when I learned they watch the TV news out of Norfolk or Virginia Beach.”

Smith reemphasized that North Carolina’s burning ban remains in place. No burning permits will be issued until the ban is lifted. He added that although the ban does allow open burning to take place within 100 feet of a structure, that measure is not encouraged at this time.

“We’ve had some rain over the past two weeks, but not enough to let our guard down by lifting the burning ban,” he said. “With the wind and the low humidity levels, it doesn’t take long to dry off the top of the ground.”

The current North Carolina burning ban has been in place since late August.