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Columbia, S.C. – State and federal fire crews are planning controlled burns at several South Carolina State Parks to reduce hazardous forest fuels that cause wildfires and improve habitat conditions for wildlife and recreation.

Prescribed burns are planned at the following parks in the coming months:

• Aiken State Park in Aiken County
• Barnwell State Park in Barnwell County
• Cheraw State Park in Chesterfield County
• Devils Fork State Park in Oconee County
• Givhans Ferry State Park in Dorchester County
• Keowee-Toxaway State Park in Pickens County
• Kings Mountain State Park in York County
• Oconee State Park in Oconee County
• Table Rock State Park in Pickens County

A number of factors that can change from day-to-day – and even hour-to-hour – must be considered before conducting a prescribed burn, making it difficult to schedule exact burn dates and times in advance. Ground moisture, resource availability, smoke dispersal, weather, winds, and more are all taken into consideration before determining if conditions are safe for a burn.

When a burn is scheduled, park officials make every effort to notify the public of any disruption to visitor experience. Trails and roads in and around the parks may be temporarily closed during burns, and any closures will be clearly posted.

Burn notifications are posted on the South Carolina Forestry Commission’s website, and immediate notice is provided to local fire and law enforcement officials.

Safety is our primary concern during any controlled burn. The fire experts assigned to these burns are highly trained and have years of experience protecting communities, themselves and the land they are working to restore. Experienced fire specialists closely monitor conditions and adjust the schedule as needed to ensure the safety of local residents and crewmembers, and crews construct firebreaks to ensure the fire does not leave the burn area.

Burns mimic historic natural fires as much as possible. Immediately after a controlled burn, the area may temporarily look raw and desolate. New shoots start to green up the forest floor within as little as a few days or weeks.

To learn more about controlled burning throughout South Carolina, visit the South Carolina Forestry Commission’s website. Learn more about South Carolina State Parks at southcarolinaparks.com. For more information, contact Sam Queen at sam@scprt.com or 803-767-3568.

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