SC sees more wildfires in 2022 than all of last year; red flag alert issued

More than 106 wildfires that burned more than 1,500 acres between Thursday and Saturday and predicted windy and dry weather prompted the South Carolina Forestry Commission to issue a statewide red flag alert, effective Monday.

The commission said there have already been more wildfires this year than of all the last fiscal year.

“One of our major concerns in addition to the elevated fire danger itself is that fire activity may exceed our capacity to respond. These conditions could create a scenario where we have more fires than we have resources,” Forestry Commission Fire Chief Darryl Jones said in a news release.

Outdoor burning is not prohibited under the alert but is discouraged, the release said.

“The high winds and gusts, combined with the very dry fuels on the ground, are also leading to re-ignitions of previously contained fires,” the news release said.

The commission said March is historically a busy month, but conditions are making fires more frequent and larger than average, requiring more resources and time to put out.

“Although a Red Flag Fire Alert does not ban outdoor burning, it does trigger certain county or local ordinances that restrict outdoor fires, so residents should contact their local fire departments to check whether such restrictions apply in their areas,” the news release said.

The commission expects to lift the alert later this week as conditions improve.

Rain is forecast for the Midlands Wednesday through Saturday.

Monday’s high is expected to be 85 degrees, dropping into the high 50s and 60s once the rain arrives at mid-week. A lake wind advisory was in effect from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday. The National Weather Service said there was a 30 percent chance of rain Monday night.

The Weather Service said Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected Monday in the Upstate afternoon into night with a possibility of a few storms becoming severe, capable of producing damaging winds, small hail, and frequent cloud-to- ground lightning.