BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WECT) - Happy Summer!

Tuesday, June 21 is the first day of summer and at 1:16 p.m. ET the summer solstice will have officially begun. The sun will be at its highest point and it will be the longest day of the year.

WECT wants to know how you are spending your first day of summer. Are you taking a trip to the beach? Maybe hosting a BBQ for your friends and family? Or perhaps you're beating the heat by staying inside in the cool air conditioning?

Let us know in the comments section below and submit your summer photos to our See it, Snap it, Send it feature by texting pics@wect.com.

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BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WECT) - Longleaf pines need regular fire to survive and thrive. So do carnivorous plants like venus flytraps and pitcher plants. In fact, many of the southeast coastal plain’s most important residents are fire dependent. That’s why the Nature Conservancy will be conducting burns at its coastal preserves during the coming months.

Controlled burning will reportedly take place with public and fire crew safety as the main priority. “These burns are designed to improve the ecosystem and reduce fuels that diminish the risk of larger wildfires,” said Angie Carl, who directs the Conservancy’s burning program in the Southeast Coastal Plain. “Fire is good for forest health and for protecting nearby local communities.”