March 1: Deadline for Public Right-of-Way Storm Debris Removal in Buncombe County

If you still have storm debris on your property after Helene, now is the time to move it to the public right-of-way to ensure crews can remove it. Crews will make final passes starting on March 1, 2025, and getting your debris out by this date guarantees it will be picked up.    

What You Need to Do 
To make sure your debris is collected, place it on the public right-of-way by March 1, 2025. Crews with USACE contractors have already picked more than 700,000 cubic yards of debris and they’re continuing their work through their last assignment date of March 31. 

How to Place Debris Properly 

• Keep debris within 10 feet of the public right-of-way and separate it by type including vegetative, construction, hazardous waste, and appliances.  
• Avoid placing debris near power lines, trees, fire hydrants, or trash carts. 
• Don’t block roads—trucks and emergency vehicles need room to pass. 
• Wear safety gear if handling debris (gloves, masks, sturdy shoes, and safety glasses). 
• Do not bring debris to the landfill—mud and soil are not accepted. 

If you miss this deadline or need help with removing debris, free debris removal is available. 

Residential and commercial property owners may qualify for free debris removal through the Private Property Debris Removal program. This program allows eligible property owners to have crews remove debris from their property at no cost. 

Apply by April 15:
You can apply online, by phone at 828-250-6100 (select 2), or in person at these locations (due to winter weather, hours may change): 

• Barnardsville Fire Dept. (100 Dillingham Rd.) – Wed-Sat, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
• Swannanoa Fire Rescue (510 Bee Tree Rd.) – Wed-Sat, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
• Fairview Library (1 Taylor Rd., Fairview) – Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sat, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Co-located with the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center) 
• Black Mountain Library (105 N Dougherty St.) – Wed-Sat, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Haven’t Had Debris Picked Up Yet? 
If storm debris hasn’t been collected from your public street since October 2024, call the One Buncombe Call Center at 828-250-6100 for assistance. 

Note: other cleanup efforts, like private property, waterway, and vehicle/tank removal, are still ongoing and are not included in this March 1 deadline.  

Have questions? Call 828-250-6100, open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.