Asheville Local Frequency: Spring Burns, Live Music, and Local Sports

Good morning, this is your Asheville Local Frequency for Thursday, March 19th, 2026. We start with an important update on forest management in our region. The U.S. Forest Service has ramped up prescribed burn operations across North Carolina's national forests, and crews are actively working right now to reduce wildfire risks. Since early March, the Forest Service has completed more than ten thousand five hundred acres of prescribed burning across the state. Here in western North Carolina, that includes over fifteen hundred acres in Pisgah National Forest and forty five hundred acres in Nantahala National Forest. These controlled burns are designed to reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health to protect our communities and infrastructure from devastating wildfires. If you're in or near national forest areas over the coming weeks, you may notice smoke and smell from these operations. Drivers are asked to slow down, use headlights, and watch for firefighters working along roadsides. Some forest areas may also be closed temporarily during burn operations, so check ahead if you're planning outdoor recreation. On the entertainment front, music lovers have plenty to look forward to tonight and throughout the spring season. Country and Americana legend Robert Earl Keen takes the stage at The Orange Peel this evening at eight o'clock, with Olivia Wolf opening the show. Doors open at seven. If you're into progressive rock, the band moe is performing the Born to Fly Tour at The Orange Peel tomorrow and Saturday nights, with shows at eight o'clock and doors at seven. This weekend also brings Old Crow Medicine Show with founding member Willie Watson to The Orange Peel on Sunday for their Big Iron World Tour Back to the Roots show. That's also at eight o'clock with doors at seven. Looking at sports, soccer fans should know that Asheville City SC had quite a match yesterday in the U.S. Open Cup, defeating Greenville Triumph SC three to one at Greenwood Field on the UNC Asheville campus. The local team is making waves in the regional soccer scene. There's also big news on the state level worth noting. North Carolina has collected more than two hundred fifty million dollars in fees and taxes since launching legal online sports betting back in March 2024. That revenue continues to grow as the industry matures here. With spring weather settling in and prescribed burn season underway, it's a dynamic time for our region. Whether you're enjoying live music, heading outdoors, or just settling in to watch some local sports, there's plenty happening in Asheville right now. This has been Asheville Local Frequency. We'll see you tomorrow with more local updates. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.