About 14,400 people lived in Piney Green at the 2020 census, in roughly 6,100 housing units. It has no town government of its own, so residents look to Onslow County for emergency information and services. The county is also home to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, which spans roughly 156,000 acres, and in a military community it is common for houses to change hands or sit empty between moves.
If a hurricane, leak or fire has damaged your home, call (866) 937-3230. Fire & Water Energy is a referral service; we try to connect you with an independent restoration contractor working in the Jacksonville area, but we do not employ crews and availability depends on local firms. You can review how it works and our referral disclosure before calling.
Ten declarations on the Onslow County coast
Onslow County lies in North Carolina's southeastern coastal plain, with flat to gently rolling ground and an Atlantic shoreline along Onslow Bay. The New River and White Oak River both run through the county, and the Intracoastal Waterway follows the coast. Hurricanes are nothing new here: county history records a deadly hurricane in 1752 that pushed officials to move the courthouse.
Since 2000, FEMA has declared ten major disasters that covered the county: Hurricane Isabel (2003), Hurricane Ophelia (2005), Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-line Winds (2010), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding (2011), Hurricane Irene (2011), Hurricane Matthew (2016), Hurricane Florence (2018), Hurricane Dorian (2019), Hurricane Isaias (2020) and Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight (2024).
Everyday leaks in a fast-turnover housing market
Rentals and homes left empty between occupants are prone to small leaks that go unnoticed for weeks. A dripping supply line, a slow water heater failure or a clogged air conditioner condensate line can soak subflooring and drywall long before anyone walks in. Humid coastal air also keeps HVAC systems running hard for much of the year.
Water damage restoration in Piney Green generally means stopping the leak, extracting water, removing materials that cannot be dried, and running dehumidifiers until moisture readings are normal. Renters should notify the landlord or property manager right away, in writing. Our water extraction and structural drying pages go into more depth.
Federal disaster declarations that included Onslow County
FEMA records show Onslow County was included in 10 major disaster declarations for weather or fire events from 2000 through 2026 (7 hurricane, 2 severe storm, 1 tropical storm, by FEMA incident type). Declarations are made at the county level, so they do not mean every neighborhood in Piney Green was affected. The most recent:
- 2024 – Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight (DR-4837)
- 2020 – Hurricane Isaias (DR-4568)
- 2019 – Hurricane Dorian (DR-4465)
- 2018 – Hurricane Florence (DR-4393)
- 2016 – Hurricane Matthew (DR-4285)
- 2011 – Hurricane Irene (DR-4019)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved 2026-10-10. Counts include major disaster (DR) declarations with hurricane, flood, severe storm, tropical storm, fire, tornado, coastal storm, winter or ice storm, mudslide and dam/levee incident types.
Water, fire or storm damage in Piney Green?
Call (866) 937-3230 and tell us what happened at your Piney Green property.
Smoke and fire damage in Onslow County homes
Kitchen fires, dryer lint fires and portable generator mishaps after hurricanes are all common ways a household ends up with smoke damage. Running a generator in a garage or too close to a window is dangerous for carbon monoxide as well as fire, so keep it well outside.
Once fire officials release the property, a restoration company typically boards up openings, discards ruined contents, cleans soot from hard surfaces, launders or dry-cleans fabrics, and deodorizes the structure. Ask whether ductwork will be cleaned, since smoke circulates through it. Our fire damage restoration and soot removal pages outline how that work usually unfolds.
Hurricane rain, flooding and wind cleanup
With storms like Florence, Matthew and Dorian in the record, flooding from torrential rain is as much a concern as wind. Flat terrain drains slowly, so water can sit in yards and roads and work its way under doors and into crawl spaces. Onslow County has been funding a resiliency study with the City of Jacksonville and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, a sign of how seriously flooding is taken locally.
Floodwater carries sewage, fuel and debris, so it counts as Category 3 contamination. Contractors commonly remove wet drywall and insulation to a set height above the waterline, sanitize, and dry framing before anything is closed back up. See hurricane damage cleanup and flood damage restoration for a closer look.
Coastal humidity and mold
Near the coast, mold can appear within a day or two of a leak or flood, especially in closed-up homes with the air conditioning off after a power outage. Closets, bathrooms and crawl spaces are frequent trouble spots.
EPA guidance says mold covering less than about 10 square feet can often be cleaned by the occupant, while larger areas should be handled by a professional using containment and HEPA air filtration. Drying the structure comes first. Read mold removal for the general process.
Storm safety and next steps in Piney Green
- Call 911 for fire, injuries, gas leaks or downed power lines.
- Follow Onslow County emergency announcements, and manage your notification subscriptions through the Onslow County website.
- Never drive or walk through flooded roads; moving water and hidden washouts are deadly.
- Keep out of standing water indoors until power is confirmed off.
- Photograph the damage, keep receipts, and ask your insurer what your policy includes; flood is usually a separate policy, and renters need their own coverage for belongings.
Neighborhoods and nearby communities
Nearby communities with their own pages (straight-line distance from Piney Green):
- Jacksonville · 7 mi
- Half Moon · 11 mi
- Havelock · 26 mi
- New Bern · 31 mi
- Morehead City · 34 mi
- Kinston · 41 mi
Piney Green restoration FAQs
How often do hurricanes lead to disaster declarations for Onslow County?
FEMA has included the county in ten major disaster declarations since 2000, and eight of them involved hurricanes or tropical systems, from Isabel in 2003 to Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight in 2024. Planning for at least one serious tropical threat every few years is reasonable.
I rent in Piney Green. Who handles water damage?
Tell your landlord or property manager immediately and in writing, and take photos. The owner is usually responsible for the building, while your belongings fall under your own renters policy if you have one.
Is Piney Green part of Jacksonville?
No. It is an unincorporated census-designated place in the Jacksonville metropolitan area, so county agencies rather than a town government handle emergency management here.
How does calling (866) 937-3230 help after a storm?
We take down what happened and try to connect you with an independent restoration contractor serving Onslow County. Fire & Water Energy is a referral service, and after a big storm local contractors may be stretched, so timing and pricing are up to them.
Restoration guides
- Hurricane Damage Cleanup
- Flood Damage Restoration
- Water Extraction
- Structural Drying
- Fire Damage Restoration
- Mold Removal
Local resources for Piney Green residents
- Onslow County Government
- FEMA: Hurricane Florence (DR-4393)
- FEMA: Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight (DR-4837)