Weather changes bring fire risk from outdoor burning. Central NC is under alert.
The National Weather Service has issued a “red flag warning” to discourage open burning across North Carolina on Monday, as dry, windy conditions move into the state.
The warning is in effect through 7 p.m. Monday. But weather expected through Tuesday could also pose a risk.
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What’s the forecast for Raleigh?
A strong cold front is expected to sweep across North Carolina through Monday afternoon, and a high-pressure system behind it will bring dry weather that forecasters say will last through early Friday.
Humidity levels could be as low as 25%, forecasters say.
Sustained winds in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill Monday afternoon into Monday night will be 14 mph to 17 mph with gusts as high as 36 mph, the Weather Service says.
Monday night, temperatures in the region will drop to around 28 degrees, according to the forecast, and the wind will make it feel as cold as 20 degrees.
Tuesday will be sunny and cold, with a high around 43 degrees but with sustained winds of 7 mph to 13 mph and gusts up to 23 mph, it still will feel as cold as 20 degrees.
The temperature will rise to around 51 degrees on Wednesday, forecasters say, and winds will drop to a more comfortable 6 mph to 9 mph.
Why is the fire risk so high?
The N.C. Forest Service says careless burning is the leading cause of wildfire in the state.
Open burning of household trash is prohibited across the state, and while burning vegetative debris such as leaves and branches is allowed under certain conditions, foresters say it’s never safe to burn on dry, windy days.
That’s especially true when conditions are as dry as they are in North Carolina right now. A lack of rainfall across the state has left all but two of the state’s 100 counties abnormally dry or in moderate drought, according to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Drought Monitor.
There is no statewide burn ban in effect, but the red flag warning applies to 24 counties in the Piedmont and Sandhills, including Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham ad Alamance.
Have there been a lot of fires in NC in 2025?
About 45% of the state’s land area is covered by natural forest, according to globalforestwatch.org, so forest fire is a big concern.
So far, the group says, North Carolina has had a “normal” fire year compared to statistics dating back to 2012.
As of Monday, the Forest Service showed 66 fires on its statewide map, the largest a wildfire of 191 acres in Richmond County.
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This story was originally published December 29, 2025 at 1:35 PM.
