Spreading 200-acre wildfire prompts evacuations, closes major highway, SC officials say
.jpg "A wildfire has caused evacuations and road closures in South Carolina.")
A wildfire spreading through part of South Carolina has caused evacuations and closed a portion of one of the busiest roads in the state, officials said.
Crews began working to open Interstate 20 near Aiken Wednesday morning, according to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office.
All lanes of I-20 were open again by about 9 a.m., according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
“There will be some smoke in the area near the 14-16 mile markers. We want to reassure the motoring public to take their time in getting to their destination and to give themselves enough space between vehicles while traveling on the interstate,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release Wednesday morning.
“Fire crews will continue to assess the fire area,” the sheriff’s office said.
The fire was “spreading rapidly,” the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post Tuesday evening.
Trained spotters estimated the size of the fire at 200 acres, Midlands Weather tweeted.
The blaze is burning in the areas of Aiken County heading north from exit 11 toward the area of exit 18 along Interstate 20, according to the post.
No cause for the fire has been given, but the Sheriff’s Office said first reports of the blaze came around 2 p.m. From that point, the fire grew at a rapid pace and a Code Red alert was issued, according to a news release.
The Sheriff’s Office said the fire has spread because of “heat combined with the dryness and strong breeze,” according to WRDW.
Evacuations were ordered by the Sheriff’s Office for homes near I-20 and Old Graniteville Highway, WJBF reported. As of 9:30 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office said evacuees could return home, but asked anyone who was not a resident to avoid the area.
The American Red Cross opened a shelter for evacuees and is providing food and drinks to emergency response workers battling the blaze, according to a news release.
The Aiken area could see triple-digit temperatures and low humidity again Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
“Triple-digit temperatures, low humidity & drought conditions pose an elevated risk for fires to get out of control the next few days. Don’t toss cigarette butts out the window and make sure it’s safe to burn!” the National Weather Service in Columbia warned Monday.
Multiple rescue agencies are fighting the fire, including the South Carolina Forestry Commission and U.S. Forest Service, the Sheriff’s Office said.
No injuries or structure damage have been reported, and the fire was approximately 50 percent contained as of 8:30 p.m., according to the news release.
This story was originally published May 28, 2019 at 9:30 PM with the headline "Spreading 200-acre wildfire prompts evacuations, closes major highway, SC officials say."
