McGrady Vol. Fire/Rescue

05/25/2026

05/19/2026

FEMA is making $648M available to help firefighters and first responders nationwide get the equipment, staffing and support they need to protect lives and communities. The funding includes:

• $291.6M for equipment, vehicles, PPE and responder wellness
• $324M to help departments hire, recruit and retain firefighters
• $32.4M for fire prevention and firefighter safety research

Applications open May 19 and close June 22. Learn more: fema.gov/press-release/20260518/dhs-makes-648-million-available-help-firefighters-and-first-responders

05/07/2026

05/05/2026

We received a report yesterday of a grass fire near Suttons Branch and Sparta Road (Hwy 18 North), prompting a response. Units arriving on the scene confirmed a grass fire along the roadside that had spread into the nearby woods and was approaching a structure. Additional resources, including an engine and brush truck from Mulberry Fairplains Fire, were dispatched to aid in firefighting efforts. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to 0.50 acres of wooded land and prevent damage to nearby structures. The fire was controlled in roughly 30 minutes. The incident's cause is still under investigation but could be attributed to careless disposal of ci******es.

Agencies on scene- McGrady Fire, Mulberry Fairplains Fire and NC Forest Service

05/04/2026

When assessing the need for burn bans, the N.C. Forest Service evaluates several factors. Those factors include weather, fire danger, fuel conditions, fire activity and the difficulty to control wildfires. In general, a burn ban is considered when the long-range forecast indicates weather and wildland fire conditions are expected to worsen, and we don’t see improvement in conditions on the ground. Resource availability is also part of the decision-making process when it comes to determining when and where burn bans are needed. This is also the case when we look at lifting burn bans or removing restrictions on open burning.

Let’s dissect the statewide ban that was enacted March 28. The ban was lifted for 81 counties effective 8 a.m., Sunday May 3 and remains in effect for 19 counties. Why?

First, let’s talk about drought. It took us a long time to reach the drought severity we’ve arrived at. It will take us a substantial stretch of time to recover. The U.S. Drought Monitor provides a “snapshot” of current conditions. A new drought monitor is released every Thursday. The data captured in that monitor is from the week leading up to that Thursday. In other words, the drought monitor is not a forecast. It’s a snapshot, essentially looking back over the period of a week at drought conditions leading up to the date the drought monitor is released. For example, if you look at the current drought monitor that was released Thursday, April 30, the data you’re looking at reflects conditions that existed between April 21 and April 28.

Now, let’s talk about rainfall and how that shows up in the drought monitor. Knowing that the current drought monitor reflects conditions through April 28, none of the rain received May 2 has impacted the monitor yet. You should see those impacts when the new monitor releases Thursday, May 7. Additionally, if the rain forecast for midweek this week does indeed arrive, you shouldn't see those impacts show up in the drought monitor for another week – not until Thursday, May 14.

When we look at fire danger, we rely on tools like the Fire Weather Intelligence Portal to help look at lots of variables at the same time, precipitation being one. In general, an inch or two of rain over a 7–10-day period indicates a beneficial wet period rather than a single storm event. If this amount of rain falls within a few hours, it can cause localized flooding. When spread over 7-10 days, it is a soaking rain that is absorbed rather well. Looking at the rain we received Saturday and considering the rainfall received over the previous six days, most areas of the state had received nearly an inch or more, except for a doughnut hole in the Triad area. See the map we’ve included. This map shows total rainfall received statewide between April 25 and May 2. Many areas were pushing close to an inch received, and many areas were better than an inch. While this isn’t enough to be a drought breaker, it does help lower fire danger. The beneficial week of rain, increased humidity and better overnight recovery have moderated fire danger enough to lift the ban for 81 counties. That doughnut hole in the Triad area just isn’t there yet, which is why the state-issued ban remains in effect for those 19 counties until conditions improve enough.

05/04/2026

“The role of a firefighter in today’s society – be it urban, rural, natural environment, volunteer, career, industrial, defence force, aviation, motor sport, or other is one of dedication, commitment and sacrifice – no matter what country we reside and work in. In the fire service we fight together against one common enemy – fire – no matter what country we come from, what uniform we wear or what language we speak.”

~ Lt JJ Edmondson, 1999

04/25/2026

04/15/2026

Please do not burn anything outside at this time!!

Important Message From The Wilkes County Fire Marshal's Office:

The Wilkes County Fire Marshals Office is looking at the fire weather danger for the next 3 to 5 days.

This is the hazardous weather statement put out by the National Weather Service:

NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ032>034-043>047-058-059-160000-
Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Watauga-Wilkes-
Yadkin-Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-Henry-Pittsylvania-Campbell-
Appomattox-Buckingham-Halifax-Charlotte-
Including the cities of West Jefferson, Sparta, Dobson, Danbury,
Eden, Yanceyville, Boone, Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, Stuart,
Rocky Mount, Bedford, Martinsville, Danville, Lynchburg,
Appomattox, South Boston, and Keysville
251 AM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026
..INCREASED FIRE DANGER TODAY FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CAROLINA AND
VIRGINIA THROUGH 8PM...

Increased fire danger conditions exist today due to the
combination of low relative humidity values in the 20 to 30
percent range, dry fuels, and gusty southwest winds. This will
result in an increased risk for the rapid spread of wildfires
through this evening.

Residents and visitors are urged to exercise caution handling any
potential ignition source, including machinery, ci******es, and
matches. Be sure to properly discard all smoking materials. Any
dry grasses and tree litter that ignite will have the potential to
spread quickly.

NC Forest Service personnel has also advised our office of the fire weather and conditions that they are given each day. It states that fuel moistures are at or near the all-time low values and getting lower over the next few days. this will create extreme fire behavior.

Southwest winds today and tomorrow will pick up in the afternoon hours when humidity will be at its lowest values contributing to fire spread. Winds are forecast to be stronger on Thursday afternoon. This weather and fuel mixture are aligned for extreme fire behavior in the event of a brush, grass or woods fire.

The burn ban is still in place and will remain in place until the forest service deems enough rain has fallen to quell the fire danger.
The ban includes all outside burning including recreational fires, fire pits, outdoor chimneys etc.
Our Wilkes County Fire Department have received multiple calls over that past 2 ½ weeks for trash fire. On top of the burn ban, burning any type of trash or debris is illegal per NC Burning Laws.

This is addressed in G.S. 143-215.3(a)(1); 143-215.107(a)(5);
Eff. July 1, 1996;
Amended Eff. January 1, 2015; July 1, 2007; June 1, 2004;
Readopted Eff. September 1, 2019.

This also can be found at the like below:
Section .1900-Open Burning | NC DEQ

The NC Forest Service can and will ticket those offenders who burn during the burn ban and have fires that have escaped and become a loose fire.

The Wilkes Fire Marshals Office will come out as well. If the fire involves materials other than natural vegetation on the property, photos and information will be forwarded to NC DEQ for further investigation. Fines from NC DEQ for illegal burning start at $10,000 and range to $25,000. If the incident involves a large trash or debris field a fine of $10,000 per day until clean up occurs could be assessed.

04/14/2026

Since the state-issued ban on open burning was enacted March 28, a total of 554 wildfires has burned more than 2,200 acres across the state. With little rainfall or improvement expected over the next 7-10 days, the statewide burn ban and enforcement action will continue until further notice.

Of the 554 wildfires that have burned since the burn ban took effect, only four have been determined to be the result of lightning strikes. Preliminary data indicates that 152 of those 554 wildfires were determined to be human caused, with the remainder listed as unknown or undetermined, likely pending law enforcement investigation and action. Since the state’s burn ban took effect, 150 citations have been issued for illegal burning.

During a state-issued burn ban, the same N.C. Forest Service personnel providing initial and extended attack for wildfire response are providing the necessary enforcement action to support the ban on open burning. Reducing the number of new ignitions is critical for sustaining adequate resource availability for an extended period, making state-issued bans a necessary tool for keeping wildfires contained and as small as possible until fully extinguished.

The public is urged to abide by the burn ban and to use extreme caution with farm equipment, machines, mowers, vehicles on dry grass, smoking materials such as ci******es, anything that can throw a spark. In current high-risk conditions, these could be a possible fire source. While not classified as open burning and not affected by the state’s ban on open burning, they are still contributors to new fire starts across the state.

Read news release: https://www.ncagr.gov/news/press-releases/2026/04/14/statewide-burn-ban-and-enforcement-continue-dry-conditions-persist