Hurricane Helene Remnants Help Fuel SC's Table Rock Wildfire
Firefighting efforts in the Table Rock area in northwestern South Carolina have been hampered not only by low humidity and high winds, but by the huge number of downed trees from Tropical Storm Helene blocking access, the South Carolina State Forester said in a news conference Friday.
A contingent of state officials, led by Gov. Henry McMaster, stood on a balcony overlooking Table Rock Mountain at The Gaines Lodge at Table Rock State Park to describe the firefight that’s been ongoing since March 21 but has yet had no containment.
The Table Rock and Persimmon fires, known as the Table Rock Complex, have burned 10,672 acres so far, Forester Scott Phillips said.
Phillips said one of the problems has been downed trees stacked on the sides of roads from storm cleanup that blocks access to the fire as well as downed trees within the fire area. Crews need to hand cut the trees rather than use bulldozers, he said.
The storm aftermath is “going to change the way we have to attack fires for years,” Phillips said.
The fire has been precarious, including jumping wide fire lines, he said.
Phillips also said a reduction and closure of some forest industry companies has reduced the amount of salvage wood that can be reclaimed from woodlands.
McMaster talked about the beauty of South Carolina — from the mountains to the sea — before saying, “Unfortunately it’s on fire right now.”
A fire in Myrtle Beach is at 85% containment, he said.
McMaster said many wildfires are caused by negligence — sometimes as simple as flicking a lit cigarette — and can bring criminal charges.
The Table Rock fire is believed to have been caused by hikers. South Carolina has been under a burn ban for a week.
“We’ve never had a fire like this,” McMaster said, calling it a perfect storm, a perfect fire.
“It’s going to take a long time to get this contained,” he said.
No structures have been lost.
Evacuations of quite a few streets in Pickens and Greenville counties have been made mandatory.
State Emergency Management Department Director Kim Stenson said 22 people are staying at a shelter set up at Marietta First Baptist Church.
Phillips said in March South Carolina has experienced 373 wildfires over 18,100 acres yet the prime wildfire season begins in April.
State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel said his agency has been called by local law enforcement to help corral spectators who have gotten in the way of firefighting operations and to protect structures left vacant by the evacuations.
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