Large South Carolina wildfires contained as teens charged with starting
blaze with cigarettes
[April 04, 2025]
PICKENS, S.C. (AP) — Two wildfires that started lose to each
other in the South Carolina mountains and burned an area over half the
size of Hilton Head Island are nearly contained, authorities said.
Four teens who did not fully extinguish their cigarettes while hiking
have been charged with causing the largest Table Rock Mountain wildfire
which started March 21, the South Carolina Forestry Commission said.
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Resource staff conduct a briefing at the incident command post in
Pickens County, S.C., on Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt
Kelley) |
That fire and the Persimmon Ridge fire about 8 miles (13
kilometers) away burned about 25 square miles (64.5 square
kilometers) during the 10 days they were out of control in the
Blue Ridge Mountains.
Rain this past weekend, coupled with more humid weather, helped
firefighters finally get fire breaks built and check the entire
area around the blaze for hot spots Wednesday, said Mike Brod,
head of the federal team helping fight the fire.
“That was no small feat for sure. There was over 60 miles of
fire perimeter," Brod said.
No injuries were caused by the fire and no major structural
damage was reported.
The arrests for starting the fire were made earlier this week,
authorities said.
Four teens who were among seven hikers rescued off the mountain
as the blaze started were charged with negligently allowing fire
to spread to lands or property of another, the state Forestry
Commission said. Arrest warrants said officers have evidence the
teens were smoking cigarettes and did not properly extinguish
them.
The weekend rain and an additional downpour late Wednesday night
were a huge help putting out the fires, but the danger is far
from over.
Millions of downed trees from last fall's Hurricane Helene
remain to provide fuel to any new blaze and also impede efforts
to fight fires, South Carolina Forester Scott Phillips said.
South Carolina firefighters fought nearly 400 wildfires in
March. April is typically the worst month for wildfires and
forecasters said the long term forecast has more hot and dry
days to come.
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