Statewide Burn Ban; ABC Audit; Helene Recovery Moves Forward

North Carolina has issued a statewide burn ban as dry conditions raise wildfire concerns, with officials urging residents to avoid outdoor burning. At the federal level, Attorney General Jeff Jackson and other state AGs are pressing Congress to refund tariffs they argue were unlawfully collected. A new audit finds significant delivery gaps in North Carolina’s ABC system, despite generating more than $1.4 billion in revenue. In western North Carolina, a key access road to Bat Cave has reopened 18 months after Hurricane Helene, marking a milestone in recovery efforts. Meanwhile, Republican members of Congress are urging DHS to address delays and bottlenecks in Helene-related funding.