On Wednesday, April 2, the ban on open burnings will be lifted for all North Carolina counties, starting at 8 a.m.

The Forestry Commission has decided to lift the burn ban in 41 counties because the "dangerous combination of low relative humidities and gusty winds that prompted the March 21 outdoor burning prohibition has improved and is expected to ease significantly across the state over the next week."

The N.C. Forest Service has lifted a ban on all open burning effective 8 a.m. Wednesday, April 2. The statewide ban went into effect on March 21 due to hazardous forest fire conditions. The lifting of the burn ban does not apply to fires started within 100 feet of an occupied residence.