wildfires

North Carolina Forest Service and USDA Forest Service ask people not to fly drones around wildfires. It impedes an agency’s response, put pilots at risk and is illegal.

by Heather Overton | Jun 21, 2022

Summary: Technology can help us in many ways, but when it comes to wildfire response, a resident’s use of a drone in a fire area can actually hinder efforts to control a wildfire. Plus, it is illegal and puts responding pilots and grounds crews at risk. Summary of Talking Points:: Every minute and second […]

Today’s Topic: Burn ban issued for 18 eastern North Carolina counties.

by Heather Overton | Jun 4, 2019

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis to discuss “Today’s Topic.” Due to increased fire risk, the N.C. Forest Service has issued a ban on all open burning and canceled all burning permits for the following counties in Eastern North Carolina.

Today’s Topic: Update on the Timber Restoration Fund efforts to help woodland owners recover from the impacts of Hurricane Matthew and the wildfires in Western N.C.

by Heather Overton | Jul 10, 2018

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis to discuss “Today’s Topic.” The N.C. Forest Service has worked with woodland owners on 361 timber restoration projects statewide involving 16,378 acres. Commissioner Troxler is happy to report that about 70 percent of the projects are completed on more than 13,400 […]

Today’s Topic: Exercise caution when burning debris in the spring.

by Heather Overton | Apr 24, 2018

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis to discuss “Today’s Topic.” The N.C. Forest Service is urging residents across the state to think safety and exercise caution during the spring fire season, which runs through May. If you are considering burning yard waste, take steps to be prepared […]

New recruits learn the strategies and tactics of combating wildfire

by Heather Overton | Feb 21, 2018

Airplanes and helicopters fly overhead, fire engine lights flash, sirens blare, while volunteer firefighters and residents lob questions and suggestions at the initial attack incident commander, whose job is to form a plan and bring order to the chaos. Fortunately for this incident commander, this is basic strategy and tactics training and no lives or […]

Happy Birthday, Smokey Bear!

by Brian Haines | Aug 9, 2017

Today is Smokey Bear’s 73rd birthday, and he is still working hard to get his message out that “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires.” Smokey Bear has been a symbol of fire safety and prevention since 1944. The purpose of the Smokey campaign is to create and maintain public awareness about the need to prevent wildfires. […]

News Roundup: April 1-7

by Heather Overton | Apr 7, 2017

Each week we round up the latest N.C. agricultural headlines from news outlets across the state and country, as well as excerpts from the stories. “Hog waste bill speeds through NC House,” WRAL: Speed legislating is pretty common each legislative session in the weeks leading up to crossover, the date by which, in most cases, a […]

NCDA&CS 2016 in review

by Heather Overton | Dec 30, 2016

For a department that touches the life of each and every N.C. resident on a regular basis, it’s tough to come up with a year in review that’s not the size of a small town’s phone book. The NCDA&CS has more than 2,000 employees located across the state. We are present in all 100 counties […]

News Roundup: Dec. 10-16

by Heather Overton | Dec 16, 2016

Each week we round up the latest N.C. agricultural headlines from news outlets across the state and country, as well as excerpts from the stories. “McCrory signs $200M disaster recovery bill,” WRAL: Gov. Pat McCrory on Thursday signed a $200 million disaster recovery bill into law at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh. The measure isn’t […]

Today’s Topic: Special legislative session for disaster relief

by Brian Long | Dec 13, 2016

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.” The General Assembly will convene a special session today to consider funding for disaster relief related to Hurricane Matthew, which hit Eastern North Carolina, and the wildfires that affected the N.C. mountains this fall. The purpose of […]

News Roundup: Dec. 3-9

by Heather Overton | Dec 9, 2016

Each week we round up the latest N.C. agricultural headlines from news outlets across the state and country, as well as excerpts from the stories. “State laws impede craft beverages,” Carolina Journal: North Carolina’s craft brewers want a fair system. That’s all they want, according their adopted slogan, which is part of a campaign and […]

Today’s Topic: Wildfires haven’t posed big threat to NC Christmas trees so far

by Brian Long | Nov 29, 2016

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.” Wildfires continue to burn in Western North Carolina, leaving some consumers wondering whether the fires could harm the state’s Christmas tree crop. Fortunately, the fires haven’t posed a threat to North Carolina’s major Christmas tree-growing areas so far, Commissioner […]

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