GEORGETOWN, SC (WBTW) – Fire rescue officials in Georgetown say debris from Hurricane Matthew is contributing to several wildfires in the area.
“What happens is when you have that build up of debris, especially on unoccupied properties, it can get in there and get underneath that pine straw and those dry leaves,” said Division Chief Fire Marshall for Midway Fire Rescue, Todd Blomdahl. “It can smolder for sometimes days and then ignite later on.”
Blomdahl said his department has responded to three or four brush fires in the past month. The dry and warm weather is combining with limbs hanging from trees that snap and fall to the ground.
“We had a fire the other day where that’s possibly what happened,” said Blomdahl. “Where the fire originated outside, unknown cause, but a day-and-a-half later they were called back because it gets underneath that thick brush and smolders away and then comes back.”
The South Carolina Forestry Commission warns more, and larger, wildfires are expected in the coming year. According to a release, the SCFC has responded to 1,782 wildfires this fiscal year, compared to 989 last year. That’s an 80% increase.
Crews are warning homeowners to start spring cleaning early to get rid of any Hurricane Matthew debris or just dead leaves and pine needles resting against your home.
“Not just the debris that came down during the storm but the storms after,” added Blomdahl. “Homeowners like myself are still trying to clean up our own properties as well.”
Some suggestions in a Public Safety Announcement from Georgetown to reduce your chance of a wildland fire is to:
- Rake and remove pine needles and dry leaves within a minimum of 3 to 5 feet of a home’s foundation. As time permits continue up to a 30 foot distance around the home. Dispose of collected debris in appropriate trash receptacles and transfer to a disposal site. We do not recommend burning the debris on-site.
- Remove the accumulation pine needles and dry leaves from your home’s roof and gutters.
- Do not use pine straw or other highly combustible mulches within 30 feet of your home.
- Collect downed tree limbs and broken branches and take them to a disposal site.
- Join forces with neighbors and pool your resources to pay for services that can help with the cleanup process.
- Contact the owners of unoccupied properties in an effort to convince them to clean up that property and/or come to an agreement about community help.
- Choose plants, shrubbery, and trees that are better suited to resist fire. Lists of appropriate plants can be found by visiting http://www.firewise.org.There are no “fire-proof” plants but high-moisture plants that grow close to the ground and have a low sap or resin content are best suited for the Wildland Urban Interface.