Forestry Commission urges ‘extreme caution’ with outdoor burning
The Chief of the commission says March and April are traditionally the height of wildfire season
(Courtesy SC Forestry Commission)
(Courtesy SC Forestry Commission) Statewide Red Flag Fire Alert lifted.
Columbia, SC (WOLO) — The South Carolina Forestry Commission is asking anyone planning to do any outdoor burning whatsoever to use extreme caution. This request comes after the agency reports a huge spike in the number of wildfires that have broken out in just the past 24 hours.
According to the Commission, Thursday alone three regional dispatchers were alerted to 32 wildfires primarily in the central and eastern parts of the Palmetto state, as well as along both sides of the interstate 95 corridor in the coastal plain. Officials say the extensive ‘low relative humidities”, which is less than 20% throughout most of the state is likely to blame.
This also a time when officials say South Carolina is in the height of what is commonly known as ‘wildfire season’ as is most of the southeastern United States. Most of the biggest and more damaging burns have traditionally taken place within the months of March and April.
“While we haven’t had a lot of wind, which usually contributes greatly to fast growing wildfires`, much of the state is just in a long drying pattern. The lower-than-forecasted RH values today didn’t help,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “When fuels are really dry, the heat released from outdoor burning can exacerbate the conditions that lead to fires escaping easily and spreading rapidly.”
