Engineer Dylan Rice receiving for BLFD the 2025 Fire Safe Community Award at the SC Fire-Rescue Conference. Thanks for all your efforts and work toward this award.
What came in as a brush fire ended up being a combination of trash, boats and other material. Brush Truck 250 responded along with Engine 251 and Tanker 254. Fire was contained to the property.
SCFC to lift burning ban for all counties Friday: Officials urge vigilance while burning outdoors as drought conditions persist
COLUMBIA—The South Carolina Forestry Commission will lift the State Forester's Burning Ban for all counties, effective at 7 a.m., Friday, May 1.
Agency officials believe the combination of rain, elevated relative humidity, improved overnight recovery and a lack of significant wind in the forecast warrant removing all remaining counties from outdoor burning restrictions.
“Many areas of the state have seen rainfall this week, and higher relative humidity and fuel moisture continue to mitigate significant fire potential,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “Though we expect even more rain across more of the state in the next week, people who choose to burn outdoors should still exercise vigilance as the rain we have received has not changed the state’s drought status.”
Shareable release: https://t.co/3DAQi7JuEu
The State wide burning ban includes the Town of Batesburg-Leesville. Don’t burn and threaten your neighbors. Fire can spread quickly as it did yesterday on Willis Street.
SC Forestry Commission to issue statewide burning ban; restriction on all outdoor burning goes into effect at 7 a.m. Friday
COLUMBIA—The South Carolina Forestry Commission is issuing a State Forester’s Burning Ban for all counties, effective at 7 a.m. Friday, April 17.
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 cite a particularly dangerous mix of elevated wildfire risk factors through the weekend that warrant limiting all ignitions in the interest of public safety.
Rapidly escalating drought conditions across the state, a critical decrease in relative humidities over the next several days and gusty winds that are expected to accompany an approaching cold front will combine to create extreme fire danger.
"When it’s this dry – energy release component values are at high-to-critical levels – we’re just as likely, if not more, to see wildfires that are fuel-driven rather than wind-driven. Add the other volatile conditions of increased wind and lower relative humidity, and it becomes an especially precarious situation,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. "These conditions not only increase the likelihood of wildfires igniting easily and spreading rapidly, but would also make them more difficult for firefighters to control.”
While the ban does not apply to fires used for the preparation of food or fires used in appropriate enclosures (portable outdoor fireplaces, chimineas or permanent fire pits constructed of stone, masonry, metal or other noncombustible material that conforms with all applicable South Carolina fire codes), Forestry Commission officials urge the utmost caution burning outdoors under these exemptions.
Likewise, citizens should exercise extreme vigilance operating any equipment that could create sparks, avoid parking on dry grass and refrain from using fireworks.
The ban will stay in effect until further notice, which will come in the form of an official announcement from the Forestry Commission.
Shareable release: https://t.co/f7RMabhSDk
Commercial structure fire on Pond Branch Road Sunday. Structure heavily involved upon arrival of Engine 251. LCFS responded multiple engines along with Tower 310. Fire was contained with no injuries. Great teamwork with the group.
Supported response to a structure fire on Harley Taylor this past Friday. LCFS Engine 308 led initial attack with multiple units responding. BLFD Engine 251 and Tanker 254 responded.