The South Carolina Forestry Commission is issuing a State Forester’s Burning Ban for all counties. A State Forester’s Burning Ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning, campfires, bonfires and other recreational fires in all unincorporated areas of the state. Forestry Commission officials say weather conditions over the next several days present a greatly elevated risk of wildfire. The high winds and gusts that prompted the agency to issue a Red Flag Fire Alert yesterday are expected to persist across the state through the weekend.
Additionally, extremely low relative humidities – reaching below 30% in most areas – add to the fire danger. “The combination of gusty winds and low relative humidity is a recipe for wildfires igniting easily and spreading rapidly,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones, “especially when you add to the mix the abundance of dry, late-winter fuels on the ground.” The ban will stay in effect until further notice, which will come in the form of an official announcement from the Forestry Commission.
