Shoppers and Fire Lanes

While the holiday shopping season is great for shoppers, it can create a potentially difficult and dangerous situation for fire and rescue responders in Asheville.

Crowded highways and parking areas can restrict emergency vehicle access, particularly when emergency services are needed at malls and shopping centers. To ensure the safety of these areas, drivers should only park in designated spaces and load vehicles in appropriate loading zones.

It is a violation of city ordinance to park in a fire lane or to
leave a vehicle unattended in a loading zone. Drivers should expect an
increased enforcement effort targeting fire lanes at shopping centers.

Fire marshals from the Asheville Fire and Rescue Department will
frequently check shopping areas for vehicles illegally parked in marked
fire lanes. Violators will be subject to a fine.

“Last year, we found vehicles parked in travel lanes of parking
lots, in front of fire hydrants and in fire lanes. Traffic presented a
significant risk for our emergency vehicles. We’re asking shoppers to
park in appropriate designated areas, to load their vehicles in loading
zones and have to someone stay with the vehicle while loading. If
someone stays with the vehicle being loaded, they are not in violation
of the city ordinance,” stated a deputy fire marshal.