Relative humidity values will fall into the 20 to 30 percent range again Thursday afternoon, with winds increasing to around 10 to 15 mph with gusts of 15 to 25 mph. With vegetation remaining dry, the ongoing drought, and favorable meteorological conditions, fires will be able to catch and spread rapidly. A statewide burn ban issued by the North Carolina Forest Service is currently in place. Open burning of any kind is illegal.
* AFFECTED AREAS: AVERY ... ALEXANDER ... IREDELL ... DAVIE ... MADISON ... YANCEY ... MITCHELL ... SWAIN ... HAYWOOD ... BUNCOMBE ... CATAWBA ... ROWAN ... GRAHAM ... NORTHERN JACKSON ... MACON ... SOUTHERN JACKSON ... TRANSYLVANIA ... HENDERSON ... CLEVELAND ... LINCOLN ... GASTON ... MECKLENBURG ... CABARRUS ... UNION ... CALDWELL MOUNTAINS ... GREATER CALDWELL ... BURKE MOUNTAINS ... GREATER BURKE ... MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS ... EASTERN MCDOWELL ... RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS ... GREATER RUTHERFORD ... POLK MOUNTAINS ... EASTERN POLK
