South Carolina officials warn about fire season as state battles multiple blazes
The aftereffects of Hurricane Helene are still being felt in South Carolina as downed trees and vegetation fuel wildfires in the state, officials said in a news briefing on Friday.
There are currently three large fires burning in South Carolina: the Table Rock Fire, the Persimmon Ridge Fire and the Covington Drive Fire near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Forestry Commission state forester Scott Phillips said during the briefing. A burn ban is in effect in the state.
The Table Rock Fire and the Persimmon Ridge Fire, referred to collectively as the Table Rock Complex, have burned a combined 10,672 acres and are 0% contained, Phillips said. The Covington Drive Fire is "still very active" but is 85% contained after burning just over 2,050 acres, Phillips said. Neither fire has burned any structures, and no fatalities have been reported, Phillips said.
The South Carolina National Guard has been deployed to fight the Table Rock fires, Brigadier General Rob Stillwell said in the news briefing, and is using aviation assets to respond to the blazes. The National Guard has dropped 612,000 gallons of water across 557 water drop missions, Stillwell said. Helicopter rescue teams are also ready to "assist any distressed firefighters or citizens in the impacted area," he said.
Meanwhile, 550 firefighters and 96 apparatus, including fire engines, brush trucks and special utility vehicles, have been deployed from local agencies, South Carolina State Fire Marshal Jonathan Jones said.
An active start to wildfire season
March has been an active month for fires in the state, Phillips said. There have been 373 wildfires reported in South Carolina this month. Neighboring North Carolina has recorded over 1,300 fires so far in March, according to the N.C. Forest Service.
"We are just at the beginning of our wildfire season here in South Carolina. We're 28 days in, we haven't even made it to April 1 yet," Phillips said. He added that April is when the state typically sees the most wildfires.
Weather conditions do not seem to be letting up, Phillips said. The state is currently extremely dry, with low humidity and high winds, he said. Wildfire conditions will remain through April and "potentially into May."
"This is going to be a long season for us as we move forward," Phillips said.
Hurricane Helene debris fuels flames
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said that the fires have been worsened by the aftereffects of Hurricane Helene, which devastated the region in September 2024. The hurricane and heavy rain knocked down a lot of trees and vegetation, he said. Clearing the fallen brush away has been difficult. The fallen vegetation has become fuel for the blaze, he said.
"We've never had a fire quite like this," McMaster said.
The effects of Hurricane Helene have also caused access issues in some areas, Phillips said. Some areas that are burning are inaccessible because of downed trees and debris, and some fire breaks that need to be readjusted can't be easily reached. Phillips said that even once this year's fire season settles down, the issues caused by Hurricane Helene will linger.
"Likely it's going to change the way we have to attack fires in the mountains of South Carolina and in the Hurricane Helene-impacted areas," he said.
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