The Town of Franklin has implemented a fire ban, in concert with the statewide ban. Here are the details as signed by Mayor Stacy Guffey and witnessed by Amie Owens, town manager..
WHEREAS, weather or other conditions exist which may make the open burning of any substance unduly hazardous and a danger to public safety, and in conjunction with the North Carolina Forest Service’s burn ban which was instituted on March 28, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. the Mayor has declared a “Fire Danger Emergency”; and
WHEREAS, as a result o f the above-described emergency I have determined that there is an imminent threat of, or existing conditions may cause or could cause, widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property; and
WHEREAS, declaring a Fire Danger Emergency and imposing the restrictions and
prohibitions ordered herein is necessary to maintain order and protect public health, safety, and welfare, and to secure property.
NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested in me as the Mayor of the Town of Franklin under Article 1A of Chapter 166A of the North Carolina General Statutes and Chapter 34 of the Town of Franklin Code of Ordinances:
Section 1 . A Fire Danger Emergency is hereby declared within the jurisdiction o f Franklin.
Section 2 . The emergency area covered by this state of emergency shall be the town limits of the Town of Franklin and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Section 3 . The following restrictions and prohibitions are imposed:
a. All open burning o f any substance shall b e prohibited within any or all of the Town
o f Franklin until such time as the burn ban declaration from the North Carolina Forest
Service has been rescinded; and
b. Open burning means the intentional burning of any substance, whether natural or
manmade, or the intentional casting off of any burning substance, whether natural or
manmade, except the burning of such substance in a container sufficient so as to prohibit the escape of any of the burning substance, o r any sparks, flames o r hot ashes from the container; and
c. The escape of any of such burning substance, o r the escape of any sparks, flames or hot ashes from any such container shall b e deemed prima facie evidence that the
container was insufficient so as to meet the exception from the definition of an open
burning set forth herein.
d. The maintaining of a fire in any interior fireplace, stove or furnace is specifically
excluded from the definition of an open burning as contemplated b y this declaration.
Section 4 . I hereby order all Town of Franklin law enforcement officers, employees, and all other emergency management personnel subject to our control t o cooperate in the enforcement and implementation of the provisions of this Declaration, all applicable local ordinances, state and federal laws, and the Town of Franklin Emergency Operations Plan.
Section 5. I hereby order this declaration: (a) to be distributed to the news media and other organizations calculated to bring its contents to the attention of the general public; (b) to be filed with Clerk t o the Town of Franklin Town Council and (c) to b e distributed t o others as necessary to ensure proper implementation of this declaration.
Section 6. This declaration shall take effect on March 28, 2026 at 6:00 p.m., and shall remain in effect until modified o r rescinded.
