On Friday, March 21, firefighters responded to the largest wildfires in South Carolina history at Table State Rock Complex and Persimmon Ridge in Pickens and Greenville counties.
The Table Rock fire burned 10,894 acres in South Carolina and 574 acres in North Carolina and has been contained by 9%, according to a report by the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
The same report recorded that the Persimmon Ridge Fire has burned a total of 2,078 acres, and its containment level has risen from zero to 24%, making it the largest wildfire in South Carolina history.
Pickens County Sheriff Tommy Blankenship posted on Facebook on the night of the wildfire that it was caused by the “negligent act” of four teenage hikers who have been identified, according to ABC News.
Agencies and detectives with Pickens County and the South Carolina Forest Commission are still investigating the implications of the wildfire to determine the appropriate charges.
“A lot of people around here are scared. I haven’t seen the fires in person, but there’s smoke all over the ground,” Palmer Hughes, a resident of Greenville County, told The Tiger in an interview.
As of March 29, Pickens County changed its evacuation guidelines from mandatory to voluntary, allowing affected residents to return back to their homes. The same day, Highway 11 reopened after being closed to all vehicles except emergency vehicles tending to the fire, according to a news release.
The Pickens County Emergency Management still encourages people to stay inside due to poor air quality. Some parents are choosing to keep their children home from school due to the fires, according to Hughes.
“Schools are still open, but most of my friends have parents that make them stay home,” Hughes told The Tiger.
On March 18, the Forestry Commission issued a Red Flag Alert. This strongly prohibited outdoor burning but did not make it illegal, according to WYFF News.
As weather conditions escalated, the South Carolina Forestry Commission issued a statewide burning ban for all counties, which has now been lifted for 41 counties. Some counties still remain banned from burning, Greenville News reports.
For residents affected by the wildfires, an evacuation shelter is located at Marietta First Baptist Church in Marietta, South Carolina. Pickens County is also accepting donations such as gold bonds, safety glasses, bandanas, duct tape, food and toiletry items at the Market at the Mill, according to a news release.
