FLORENCE, S.C. (WCBD) – The recent heat, coupled with little or no rain makes trees and underbrush highly flammable. That means places like the Francis Marion National Forest could be susceptible to wildfires.
Conditions are so dry that South Carolina’s Forestry Commission issued a red flag fire alert Wednesday afternoon – effective immediately.
The purpose of the alert is to discourage people from doing any outdoor burning when weather conditions present an elevated risk for wildfire.
Weather forecasts for most of the state over the next three days include very low relative humidity and elevated drought conditions, which combine with dry fuels on the ground to create the potential for outdoor fires escaping easily and spreading rapidly.
There are some things you can do to prevent fires:
“Make sure you put your cigarette butts out properly,” said Jacqueline Forsyth with Project Forester. “Ashes from cigarettes can spark wildfire and if you see anything make sure that you call your local fire department, call 911, and they will get someone out there to look at it.”
Normally an alert like this lasts just through the weekend, but since there’s not a lot of rain in the forecast it could be extended beyond that.
