(The Center Square) – More than 9.5 million people are within drought-stricken areas of North Carolina just a couple of weeks ahead of the peak planting season for row crops.
There is extreme drought in nearly 5% of the state and severe in another 65%, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
None of the 100 counties are less than moderate drought, and fire danger is high across the state.
The North Carolina Forest Service issued a statewide burning ban effective from 6 p.m. Saturday until further notice.
“With drought severity across the state, forecast fire weather and the potential for limited rainfall, it is critical to reduce the number of new fire starts,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a release. “Vegetative fuels will dry rapidly, and with the amount of fuel loading in the mountains and drought impacts statewide, a burn ban for all 100 counties is necessary to reduce the number of wildfires across our landscape. Please follow this burn ban to help reduce the risk for everyone.”
Agriculture and agribusiness are a $102 billion annual economic impact for the state, according to December figures. April is a prime planting season for corn, and late April to early May is the time for soybeans and cotton – though the state’s eastern farmers are often one to two weeks earlier.
Agriculture and agribusiness have been the state’s No. 1 industry forever. About 42,500 farms are operated on 8.1 million acres from Murphy to Manteo. The state is eighth in the nation in value of agricultural products sold, 14th in exports.
North Carolina production is No. 1 nationally each in sweetpotatoes, all tobacco, flue-cured tobacco, and poultry and eggs. The state is No. 2 in Christmas tree sales, production of turkeys, and food-size trout sold. It is No. 3 in cucumbers and hogs, No. 4 in peanuts and broilers (chicken), and No. 5 in cotton.
Two areas on Monday had extreme drought designation. One was just east of Charlotte touching the counties of Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Stanly, Union and Anson counties. The other is more northeastern around Rocky Mount, touching the counties of Edgecombe, Nash and Halifax and grazing Northampton and Martin.
The Coastal Plains, nearly parallel to Interstate 95, is mostly in a moderate phase. The bulk of Piedmont and Mountain regions are in severe drought.
