Friday afternoon, the South Carolina Forestry Commission issued a statewide Red Flag Fire Alert, effective at noon.
The press release says the purpose of the alert is to discourage people from any outdoor burning when weather conditions present an greater risk of wildfire.
State weather forecasts over the next three days predict strong winds and low humidity that experts say could be a recipe for disaster.
“We’re going to see very favorable conditions for wildfire ignitions this weekend, particularly with the relative humidity values, which will remain low at least until next week,” said Darryl Jones, SCFC Fire Chief. “With the otherwise nice weather this weekend, we just want people who may be working in their yards or enjoying the outdoors to be aware of the elevated potential for fire danger.”
A Red Flag Fire Alert does not prohibit outdoor burning, but the Forestry Commission strongly encourages people to voluntarily postpone any burning until the alert is lifted.
The press release does say that a Red Flag Fire Alert often does trigger certain county or local ordinances that restrict outdoor fires, so residents should check with their local fire departments first.
The alert will remain in effect until lifted by the SC Forestry Commission.
