Here’s how to track all the wildfires in SC using this interactive map
Want to know the latest on every wildfire in South Carolina?
You can see for yourself.
According to the South Carolina Forestry Commission, there were 163 wildfires that have burned approximately 5,483 acres in the state as of Monday morning. Many of the wildfires are burning in Horry, Spartanburg, Oconee, Union, and Pickens counties mainly because of exceedingly dry and windy weather conditions.
Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on Sunday because of the ongoing wildfires. This followed the Forestry Commission’s statewide burn ban issued on Saturday.
Here’s how to get the latest on every wildfire in the state.
Check SC wildfires online
To see all the wildfires in every South Carolina county, click here.
The link will take you to an interactive map of the state created by the Forestry Commission. The map will show icons representing all the wildfires. Click on each one to get information such as their status, exact location, their current size and their percentage of containment. At the bottom of the screen, you can also click on the summary tab, which will show how many wildfires are ongoing in total at the time, followed by a full list of the wildfires.
Wildfire prevention
The state is currently under a full burn ban. However, once that is eventually lifted, here are some tips to help prevent future wildfires, according to the Forestry Commission.
- Check the weather before you burn (avoid burning on days with high wind speeds and gusts and/or on days with lower-than-usual relative humidities, ie. <30%)
- Notify the Forestry Commission before you begin your burn. Call the toll-free notification phone number for the county you live in to make notification. This rule applies only in unincorporated areas of the state (outside of city/town limits), and burners must make notification every unique day they burn.
- Clear a firebreak around the material being burned that is relative to the size of the fire (at least half of the width of the burn pile itself). Firebreaks should be constructed by removing all vegetation and exposing the bare ground or mineral soil.
- Have proper and sufficient tools and water on hand to prevent the fire from spreading if it does happen to escape the firebreak.
- Stay with the fire at all times, never leaving the burn site for any amount of time or for any reason.
- Extinguish the fire completely, drowning it with water until the burned material and ashes are cool to the touch.
