The purpose of this Article is to regulate certain open burning in order to protect the public from the hazards of forest fires and air pollution and to adapt such regulation to the needs and circumstances of the different areas of North Carolina. The General Assembly finds that open burning in proximity to woodlands must be regulated in all counties to protect against forest fires and air pollution. The General Assembly further finds that in certain counties a high percentage of the land area contains organic soils or forest types which may pose greater problems of forest fire and air pollution controls, and that in counties in which a great amount of land-clearing operations is taking place on these organic soils or these forest types, additional control of open burning is required. The counties subject to the need for additional control are classified as high hazard counties for purpose of this Article. (1981, c. 1100, s. 2; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1385, s. 1; 2011-145, s. 13.25(w).)