State and federal fire crews will be undertaking prescribed burns in a number of South Carolina state parks in the coming months as conditions permit, the park agency announced March 10.
The aim is to reduce hazardous forest fuels that contribute to fire risk and to improve habitat conditions for wildlife and recreation.
In the Upstate, parks where prescribed burns are planned include:
- Devils Fork and Oconee state parks in Oconee County
- Table Rock State Park in Pickens County
- Sadlers Creek State Park in Anderson County
Prescribed burns require specific conditions in order to be performed safely. Those conditions include humidity, wind and weather conditions and the level of ground moisture. Such conditions are variable and can change quickly, making it difficult for fire management teams to schedule or provide the public with advanced warning of where and when the burns will take place.
Burn notifications are posted on the state Forestry Commission’s website at scfc.gov. Additionally, officials at each impacted state park will do their best to notify the public about how fire activities may impact visitors.
The public should be aware trails and roads in and around affected parks may be temporarily closed during burns.
For specific information about park impacts, visit southcarolinaparks.com.
