"That is textbook fire weather," Philip Jackson, of N.C. Forest Service said.
North Carolina is dealing with the potential for wildfires across the state.
According to the Forestry's website, in North Carolina, wildfire activity typically increases in October through early December. From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, the NCFS responded to nearly 5,600 wildfires that burned more than 34,000 acres. Backyard debris burning, machine and vehicle use, arson and escaped campfires continue to be common ignition sources for human-caused wildfires.
In western North Carolina, remaining piles of debris from Hurricane Helene can act as a fuel, while crews here in the Triangle have investigated multiple brush fires that happened along I-540 over the weekend.
"Really, anywhere in North Carolina right now is seeing increased fire risk," Jackson said.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 15% of the state is in severe drought. Fire officials said to avoid burning outdoors as any ignition source could quickly turn "catastrophic," according to Jackson.
"Campfires, debris burning, probably not the best idea," Jackson said. "Any of those sparks land ... it's liable to fester and become an ignition source and turn into the next wildfire. So, abundance of caution is the message right now."
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