10/04/2024
STATE FORESTER’S BURNING BAN TO BE LIFTED FOR FIVE SC COUNTIES THURSDAY
The State Forester’s Burning Ban will be lifted for Chester, Fairfield, Lexington, Richland and York counties, effective at 6 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 3. The Forestry Commission is lifting the ban after evaluating conditions in these counties and in consultation with county fire officials.
The ban will remain in place for Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Cherokee, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg and Union counties until further notice.
The ban was issued Tuesday to ease the strain on firefighting personnel and law enforcement officials – from both the Forestry Commission and from local fire departments – many of whom were dispatched to affected areas to assist with road clearing, damage assessment and related cleanup.
Citizens who plan to burn storm debris in the counties no longer affected by the ban must make notification to the Forestry Commission, take proper precautions and conduct safe outdoor burning, staying with the fire until it is completely out. Two types of public outdoor burning are permitted in South Carolina:
RESIDENTIAL YARD DEBRIS BURNING
State law requires citizens to notify the Forestry Commission before burning outdoors. In most cases, the law applies to burning leaves, limbs and branches that people clean up from their yards. The notification law does not apply within town or city limits. Find every county’s toll-free notification number on the SCFC home page or at https://www.scfc.gov/protection/fire-burning/how-to-notify/.
FORESTRY, WILDLIFE, AND AGRICULTURAL BURNING
State law requires that you notify the Forestry Commission before burning for forestry, wildlife management or agricultural purposes. This includes burning for wildfire hazard reduction, brush control, endangered species management, wildlife habitat improvement, plant disease control, crop residue removal and preparation of land for planting trees or agricultural crops. All burning for forestry, wildlife and agriculture must comply with SC Smoke Management Guidelines (https://www.scfc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/smoke-management-guidelines.pdf). To make notification, regardless of county, please call (800) 777-3473.
