The North Carolina Forest Service has banned outdoor burning in 25 western counties where dry conditions have increased the potential of human-caused wildfires.

Plexus, a privately held company whose two offices are in Raleigh and Charlotte, announced Monday that it has raised $250 million in new funding from a group of investors. That money will be supplemented by $150 million that, as a Small Business Investment Company, Plexus can borrow from the federal Small Business Administration at attractive rates.