SC under ‘red flag’ warning. Don’t burn anything agency says
State officials issued a “red flag” warning Saturday morning as weather conditions increase the risk of wildfires.
Winds and low humidity across South Carolina are raising the chance that fires spread, according to the state’s Forestry Commission. The commission issued the burn warning at 6 a.m. The warning will remain in effect until the commission calls it off.
Saturday afternoon, Lexington County took an additional step and banned burning until further notices.
“The dangerous conditions we’re going to see over the next few days make a good portion of the state vulnerable to fires that can spread rapidly and be difficult to control,” said commission Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “These kinds of spring weather patterns are what make this time of year the traditional peak of our wildfire season.”
The warning does not prohibit outdoor burning but the commission and other experts “strongly discourage” it. The warning does restrict burning, and the commission said residents should check with local fire departments before burning.
March and April have historically been South Carolina’s most dangerous months for wildfires, the commission said. The most destructive fires in the state’s history happened in April.
An April fire along Highway 31 near Myrtle Beach in 2009 burned 19,130 acres and 76 homes and was the second largest fire on record in South Carolina. Escaped burning debris caused that fire, the commission said.
This story was originally published March 26, 2022 at 10:36 AM.