Governor Stein Highlights Need for Investments in Wildfire Prevention, Thanks NC Forest Service for Their Work Amid Drought Conditions

Today Governor Josh Stein joined the North Carolina Forest Service in Buncombe County to thank them for their work to keep people safe during wildfire season.

"A year and a half after Hurricane Helene, despite great collaboration to remove 16 million cubic yards of debris, the remaining debris is fueling wildfire danger across western North Carolina," said Governor Josh Stein. "Folks in western North Carolina know all too well how Mother Nature can wreak havoc, and they can protect themselves by staying vigilant and following burn restrictions. I am continuing to push for the resources needed to reduce these risks and keep people safe."

The Forest Service says North Carolina has already seen more than 4,300 wildfires in 2026, 99 percent of which have been caused by human activity. Despite efforts by state contractors and the US Army Corps of Engineers to remove more than 16 million cubic yards of debris from western NC roadways, waterways, and private property, downed timber left by Hurricane Helene continues to increase the risk of wildfire in Western North Carolina.

In Buncombe County, Governor Stein previewed the NC Forest Service's Disaster Mitigation Program (DMP). In the coming weeks, this new program will enable the NC Forest Service to reduce wildfire hazards by allowing property owners to request a no-cost removal of hazardous debris removal. The program also improving fire breaks and promotes prescribed burning. Western NC residents can learn more about the soon-to-launch Disaster Mitigation Program at ncforestservice.gov.

"For western North Carolina families and communities, recovery is still ongoing, and wildfire risk is another real concern they are having to navigate at the same time," said Matt Calabria, Director of GROW NC. "I encourage western North Carolinians to take advantage of trusted information, practical tools, and state resources that can help them prepare."

Residents are encouraged to use official state resources to:

• Learn how to safely prevent human-caused wildfires
• Understand current burn restrictions and fire conditions
• Strengthen home and property readiness through defensible space and home hardening
• Review evacuation routes, alerts, and family emergency plans
• Share prevention and preparedness information with neighbors and local networks

Through ReadyNC.gov, North Carolina Emergency Management provides preparedness guidance, alerts, evacuation information, and emergency planning tools to residents threatened by wildfires and other natural disasters.

In March, Governor Stein proposed his third Helene recovery budget for western North Carolina, calling on the General Assembly to invest $792 million in western North Carolina's next phase of recovery. The Governor's Recovery Budget calls for $17 million to support wildfire mitigation and preparedness efforts to reduce risk, repair damage to state parks and restore access to public lands, and rebuild and replace critical forestry facilities.

Click here to read Governor Stein's Recovery Budget proposal.

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