Helping Prevent Forest Fires
The South Carolina Forestry Commission is on the front lines when it comes to putting out the state’s wildfires.
Despite the continued development of South Carolina, the state has 2 million more acres of forestland than in 1936. Its forests contain 28.8 billion cubic feet of wood, more than any time in the past century.
Timber continues to be one of the state’s biggest economic drivers. And wildfires continue to threaten land and homes. The stewardship of all that land falls to the Forestry Commission, which will celebrate its 100th year as a state agency in 2027.
Fighting wildfires
In the last year, the commission recorded 1,221 wildfires, which burned 7,722 acres of land in the state. At least half of them were caused by debris burning.
People carelessly burn trash and other debris without notifying the Forestry Commission, don’t maintain a firebreak, or leave it before it’s fully extinguished. It’s part of the commission’s charge to continue public education efforts to prevent costly wildfires, said Doug Wood, Director of Communications for the Forestry Commission.
Technology and equipment also play a big part in fighting wildfires. The commission has been using planes to monitor wildfires since the 1930s. Today, its newest pieces of firefighting equipment are twin Air Tractor amphibious scooper planes, at the ready for up to 75 days of firefighting support a year.
“We also have a whole drone fleet that is probably one of the fastest growing segments of our firefighting division, used for observation and infrared detection to support our wildfire fighting efforts,” Wood said.
1966 was believed to be the worst year for wildfires in the state’s history, in which 10 wildfires burned, and while the average has been lower in the last decade, droughts come and go, ripening the conditions for wildfires. The commission is also there when the state needs recovery after natural disasters and can mobilize with other state agencies to help respond to any disaster. Agency firefighters played a big role in the cleanup of storm damage in the Upstate after flooding devastated parts of the South, including parts of South Carolina.
Managing South Carolina forests
Another major mission of the commission is helping landowners manage their forests, whether it is used for timber or for any number of other uses.
Through a network of foresters stationed in every county, the agency works directly with private landowners who own 10 or more acres of forested land. These foresters provide personalized guidance and recommendations to help landowners get the most out of their forest resources, whether that means optimizing timber production, improving wildlife habitat, enhancing recreational opportunities, or achieving other land management objectives.
The foresters take a holistic, science-based approach to advising landowners, focusing on practices that will maintain the long-term health and productivity of the forests, Wood said. By partnering with private landowners in this way, the Forestry Commission plays a crucial role in promoting responsible, sustainable stewardship of South Carolina’s invaluable forestry assets.
Jaime Jones, who is the Piedmont region stewardship forester, helps landowners focus on forest health. He also educates landowners on the value of harvesting. “What we call clear cut or harvest will be more biodiverse than it was when it was mature,” Jones said.
He and others also try to promote the planting of native trees, which tolerate drought better and don’t compete with species such as pine. “We like to promote more native trees, maybe try to eliminate invasive species, non-native invasive species. But it all depends on what their objective is,” Jones said.
Preserving forestland
There’s a new role for the state agency that it took on this year. The Forestry Commission now is a partner in the state’s biggest effort to preserve land along the Black River. The conservation easement of about 62,000 acres of forest around the Pee Dee, Santee, and Black Rivers in land in Marion, Williamsburg, and Georgetown counties is the commission’s first, with help from a $50 million grant from the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program.
The easement is the single largest land conservation easement project in South Carolina history, as the Commission partnered with the Open Space Institute, the state Department of Natural Resources, the South Carolina Office of Resilience, the South Carolina Conservation Bank and Atlantic Packaging.
It’s the latest step in the Commission’s commitment to managing forests in the state. It will open land for public access while harvesting timber and providing land to help deal with flooding. “Our mission statement is to protect, promote, and enhance South Carolina’s forests for the benefit of all,” Wood said.
Fire Safety Tips:
- Notify the Forestry Commission before burning any vegetative yard debris like leaves, limbs, and branches outside of city limits.
- Only burn the appropriate materials – no trash or other non-vegetative items.
- Create a fire break around the burn area and have water and tools on hand to control the fire.
- Never leave a debris burn unattended – stay with the fire until it is fully extinguished.
- More than 50% of wildfires in South Carolina are caused by escaped debris burns, so taking these precautions is crucial.