Columbia, South Carolina – The South Carolina Forestry Commission has declared a complete burning ban throughout 20 counties beginning at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, October 1 in reaction to significant damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Aimed at maintaining public safety and supporting efforts at emergency response, the move will impact counties experiencing substantial infrastructure damage from the hurricane.
Counties falling within the new burning restriction are Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and York. While still allowing fires meant for cooking or contained in designated enclosures like fire pits and chimineas that meet South Carolina fire standards, the ban encompasses all kinds of outdoor burning, including yard waste burning and agricultural burns, in unincorporated regions.
The practical need of freeing and supporting emergency workers drives the decision to impose this limitation, not from a higher fire risk. Local fire response capabilities are lacking as many firefighters and law enforcement officials are now stationed in areas devastated by hurricanes to help with road clearance, damage assessment, and cleanup activities.
Working with Governor Henry McMaster and several disaster management agencies, State Forester Scott Phillips came to the conclusion that at this point lowering possible wildfire ignitions is essential. Fire Chief of the SCFC Darryl Jones explained in a Facebook post that runaway debris burns usually cause over half of all wildfires in South Carolina. Minimizing any fire-related threats is important considering the existing demand on emergency personnel and issues like fallen trees, damaged power lines, and erratic water pressure.
Residents of the impacted counties are urged to dispose of wood waste and other storm-related trash at nearby trash collecting facilities. Counties solid waste departments often oversee these locations, which might offer additional direction on proper disposal methods during the prohibition.
Apart from implementing the restriction, the Forestry Commission keeps up consistent activities of suppressing wildfires. To assist the continuous emergency responses around the state, it has organized its whole spectrum of firefighting, law enforcement, and incident management teams.
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The burning restriction will remain in effect indefinitely, according to officials; updates from the Forestry Commission will be given when circumstances allow the safe resuming of outdoor burning operations. Through official announcements, residents and local authorities are advised to remain informed and follow the instructions established to guarantee public safety and assist in recovery attempts following Hurricane Helene.
