Festival sets forests ablaze

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The second annual Fire in the Pines Festival took place today to set the forest ablaze and educate the public.

The festival is designed to educate the public about controlled burning and how to avoid wildfires in their community. North Carolina longleaf pine forests contain an array of diverse plants and and animals; however, the forest is fire dependent and needs regular fire to maintain that diversity.

Participants of the festival enjoyed live music and animals, food trucks, educational displays and a children’s scavenger hunt. Family’s gathered around to watch the controlled burn and learn about how to prevent forest fire.

Debbie Crane with the North Carolina Nature Conservancy said today was a perfect day to hold the event.

“That’s one thing people have to understand about controlled burning: we don’t just go out and light a match. It has to be perfect weather conditions,” said Crane.

Fire in the Pines is sponsored by the City of Wilmington’s Parks and Recreation Division, the N.C. Forest Service and The Nature Conservancy.