Large South Carolina wildfires contained as teens charged with starting blaze with cigarettes
PICKENS, S.C. (AP) — Two wildfires that started lose to each other in the South Carolina mountains and burned an area over half the size of Hilton Head Island are nearly contained, authorities said.
Four teens who did not fully extinguish their cigarettes while hiking have been charged with causing the largest Table Rock Mountain wildfire which started March 21, the South Carolina Forestry Commission said.
That fire and the Persimmon Ridge fire about 8 miles (13 kilometers) away burned about 25 square miles (64.5 square kilometers) during the 10 days they were out of control in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Rain this past weekend, coupled with more humid weather, helped firefighters finally get fire breaks built and check the entire area around the blaze for hot spots Wednesday, said Mike Brod, head of the federal team helping fight the fire.
'That was no small feat for sure. There was over 60 miles of fire perimeter," Brod said.
No injuries were caused by the fire and no major structural damage was reported.
The arrests for starting the fire were made earlier this week, authorities said.
Four teens who were among seven hikers rescued off the mountain as the blaze started were charged with negligently allowing fire to spread to lands or property of another, the state Forestry Commission said. Arrest warrants said officers have evidence the teens were smoking cigarettes and did not properly extinguish them.
The weekend rain and an additional downpour late Wednesday night were a huge help putting out the fires, but the danger is far from over.
Millions of downed trees from last fall's Hurricane Helene remain to provide fuel to any new blaze and also impede efforts to fight fires, South Carolina Forester Scott Phillips said.
South Carolina firefighters fought nearly 400 wildfires in March. April is typically the worst month for wildfires and forecasters said the long term forecast has more hot and dry days to come.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Apalachicola officials stress patience amid water quality challenges
APALACHICOLA, Fla. (WMBB) – City officials say they're making progress on fixing the town's water quality issues. Residents have reported odorous and discolored water in their faucets since last fall. 'It smells like sewage. It's bad,' Apalachicola resident Elizabeth Russell said. 'Soon as I'm out of that shower, my whole back burns.' For some business owners, the water issues are already affecting business. At the Half Shell Dockside Bar and Grill, customers can only receive bottled water and canned sodas. They're hoping the city-wide water problem doesn't affect the restaurant's reputation. Local governments react to push in legislation to prevent FEMA claw-backs 'We've had to put out a post saying, like, it's just as unfortunate for us as it is for our guests. That, please don't fault us for the smell. Don't let it discourage you from coming in and sharing your business and dining with us,' social media manager Sierra Proctor said. Water and sewage field crew supervisor Rhett Butler says the issue started after Hurricane Helene destroyed an odor scrubber aeration system. 'During Hurricane Helene, we think that the structure got damaged from the winds and everything and made it look, made it worse off, and then it crashed,' Butler said. On Monday, the city confirmed a new odor scrubber is being fabricated and is expected to be completed in early July. They say the water is safe to consume. 'I know it's a hassle for everybody. It's a hassle for me. And nobody's more hurt about it than I am because I worked hard to get us back to where we need to be with the water system and everything,' Butler said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
North Carolina leaders urge preparedness for hurricane season
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — North Carolina Leaders say now is the time to prepare for hurricane season. Emergency management officials say more than a dozen named storms will hit the US this season. Several are expected to become powerful, dangerous hurricanes. During a press conference on Thursday, Governor Josh Stein said North Carolinians should have an emergency kit ready, including important documents and three to five days' worth of food and water. State Emergency Manager Director William Ray said forecasters expect at least a dozen powerful storms to make landfall the next few months, six to ten of those storms could become hurricanes. 'The state emergency response team is hosting workshops, planning sessions, conducting plan reviews, conducting operation and logistics and readiness checks,' Ray added. Over at Duke Energy, Hurricane Helene is still fresh on the mind of staff at their power distribution control center in Charlotte. 'We've never experienced something like that,' said operator Laura Weigel. Company executives told Queen City News they took what they saw during Helene and applied it to trainings they run every year. 'We also practice ahead of storm season, doing storm drills, preparing operators for a variety of scenarios they might encounter. You know, every kind of scenario, including even a facility not working,' said Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks. Brooks echoed Stein's message, saying everyone should have a plan in place. 'Where would you go if you had an extended power outage? Do you have a generator in your home and do you know how to use it safely, always use those outside.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Governor Stein, state leaders prepare for hurricane season amid uncertainty of federal help
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Hurricane preparedness is long underway in North Carolina. '[We're] conducting statewide exercises to test our communication systems, performing readiness checks, and making improvements based on any gaps that we find,' Governor Josh Stein said in a hurricane preparedness update on Thursday. 'We're already taking action on identified areas for improvement in the wake of Helene,' Will Ray, the Director of Emergency Management, said. But it's more challenging this year than ever before. Governor Stein and other state emergency management leaders say uncertainty surrounding the futures of federal agencies like FEMA, NOAA, and the National Weather Service are front of mind. 'I think that we all have reason to be worried, there are cuts happening at the federal government that are going to impact the quality of services that affect people's lives,' the Governor said. The state is still spending hundreds of millions of dollars on recovery in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. So, how prepared is the state financially for another major storm? 'That is an issue that is being negotiated between the two branches of the legislature right now. How big is our rainy day fund?' Governor Stein said. 'In my budget, I had proposed adding $500m to that to build it up a little bit in the eventuality of future hurricanes.' Governor Stein says the state needs to be ready to be self-reliant and not dependent on help from the federal government. 'Even if you dramatically restructure FEMA and have this federal government step away from helping states that are hit, there's going to be a real financial consequence to each state that's impacted and we need to budget accordingly,' he said. And for people at home, state leaders are offering the same tips they do every year: make sure you have an emergency kit on hand before a storm hits your area with water, medication, and non-perishable food. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
