The burn ban will remain in effect for Greenville, Horry, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg counties.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina officials will lift a statewide burning ban for most counties Monday morning, while five counties facing ongoing wildfire threats remain under restrictions.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission announced that the burning ban will end at 6 a.m. Monday, March 31, for 41 of the state’s 46 counties. Greenville, Horry, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg counties will remain under the prohibition until further notice.
In the Charlotte area, York, Chester, Chesterfield, and Lancaster counties will no longer have a burn ban in effect.
Officials cited improved weather conditions for the decision to partially lift the ban that had been in place since March 21.
The ban remains in place for the five counties due to ongoing wildfire response efforts. In Greenville and Pickens counties, the Table Rock Complex — which includes two wildfires that have grown to more than 13,000 acres — continues to strain emergency resources.
Derrick Moore with the South Carolina Forestry Commission said crews have seen a lot of good progress with containment lines on the eastern edge of the Table Rock Complex. The northeast corner will be a priority for fire crews on Friday to prevent the flames from reaching structures and neighboring communities.Â
Horry County’s restrictions continue as forestry personnel focus on containment efforts around the Myrtle Beach-area Covington Drive Fire, which is now 85 percent contained. Authorities arrested Alexandra Bialousow, 40, for starting that fire.Â
“Burning bans are not intended to be extended, much less permanent, solutions to wildfires,” Darryl Jones, the South Carolina Forestry Commission Fire Chief, said. “Prescribed burns in particular are necessary tools for forestry and agriculture, but we can’t emphasize enough the importance of using fire prudently and respecting the weather.”
Officials warned that above-average fire danger is expected to continue through April, historically the month with South Carolina’s most severe wildfires. Anyone conducting outdoor burning must still notify the Forestry Commission in advance and follow mandatory precautions, which can be found at https://scfc.gov/protection/fire-burning/.
