S.C. red-flag alert issued as fires flare up across CSRA
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - The South Carolina Forestry Commission is issuing a statewide red-flag fire alert, effective immediately until further notice.
It was announced on the heels of a couple of fires in Aiken County and one across the river in Richmond County as gusty winds raised the risk of dry vegetation flaring up.
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The alert is being issued to discourage people from burning outdoors.
Vegetation is already dried out, but forecasts call for very low relative humidity values – below 30% – and gusty winds across much of the state through the weekend.
A red-flag alert doesn’t prohibit outdoor burning, provided that all other state and local regulations are followed, but the Forestry Commission uses the alert to strongly encourage citizens to voluntarily postpone any such burning until the alert is lifted.
How do controlled burns impact CSRA’s air quality?
Prescribed fires can cause issues with air quality sometimes, but they are a net good for our area, experts say.
Land managers who are considering conducting prescribed fires should take extra care.
“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 South Carolina Forestry 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.”
SCFC firefighters responded to 183 wildfires in January alone, nearly double its five-year average for the first month of the year. The agency has already recorded more than 300 wildfires in February. Historically, wildfire occurrence in South Carolina is greater in March than in any other month.
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