State reports more than 200 wildfires in past week

State officials say dry air and high winds in recent days have sparked an unusually high number of wildfires in North Carolina.

State and local firefighters battled 211 wildfires from the coast to the mountains last weekend. Those fires burned nearly 678 acres. The No. 1 cause of wildfires in North Carolina is human carelessness.

“People need to use common sense if they intend to burn yard debris such as sticks and leaves,” said Wib Owen, North Carolina’s state forester. “Check the weather report to be sure that conditions will allow for safe burning and only burn when winds are light. Do not burn on windy days and if unsure, call your local fire department to see if they think it’s a good idea to burn that day.”