After a dry November, incipient drought declared in 34 SC counties due to wildfire threat
19 December 2021
Published by https://www.postandcourier.com/
USA – November is historically one of South Carolina’s driest months. But so little rain last month has caused a drought to develop in 34 counties in the state.
A climate report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed that South Carolina’s precipitation for November ranked “much below average.” The state averaged about .25 inches of rain that month. And many areas recorded their driest October and November on record, according to a news release from the state Department of Natural Resources.
When the S.C. Drought Response Committee met on Dec. 9, they decided to upgrade the drought status in several areas to “incipient,” the least severe level of drought. This excludes Abbeville, Anderson, Beaufort, Charleston, Greenville, Greenwood, Jasper, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg counties, which are considered to be in the normal range.
A concern for wildfires was the leading factor for the drought declaration this month, according to the DNR.
Darryl Jones, the forest protection chief for the S.C. Forestry Commission, said 2016 was the last time the state received so little rain in the month of November that it led to a drought. The dry conditions contributed to a 10,000-acre fire in the mountains of South Carolina.
The commission said embers from an escaped campfire in Pickens County spilled over the side of a trail and down to the forest below. Winds and dry fuels on the ground caused the Pinnacle Mountain fire to escape and spread rapidly.
Many other wildfires were sparked in 2016, too. Jones said about 2,000 to 4,000 wildfires are fought in the state yearly. So far this year, more than 1,200 have been reported on over 7,400 acres, according to the commission.
About 2 percent of the wildfires in the state are caused by people. And more than half of them happen when people burn leaves or clean up their yards with fire. The flames can sometimes escape, get into the woods and cause a wildfire.
Nearly 20 percent of fires that occur in vegetation and unincorporated areas are caused by arson.
Historically, more wildfires have been reported in South Carolina’s Pee Dee and Coastal Plains regions than any other part of the state.
“And the main reason for that is the fuels,” Jones said. “The type of vegetation (in those areas) just tends to be easier to ignite and start fires.”
Already this month, the S.C. Forestry Commission reports that wildfires reported in December are higher than the past 5-year average for December.
A state law requires people to notify the commission prior to burning outside. The law applies to burning leaves, limbs and branches, in most cases, and does not apply within town or city limits. Toll-free numbers are listed by county on the commission’s website.
It is always a good idea to wait until fire dangers are low or moderate to burn yard debris. And people should stay with the fire until it is out.
“Don’t turn your back, and especially with the drought when the fuels are dry,” Jones said. “The fires escape much easier than people think, a lot of times, because all the grass and everything’s just sitting there dry and ready to burn.”
“Incipient” is the first level of drought in South Carolina, followed by moderate, severe and extreme. In more serious drought conditions, restrictions on water use and burning can be triggered.
The state Drought Response Committee plans to continue to monitor conditions through the winter.
