Lexington County. SC 05/04/2021 - The Forestry Commission is lifting the alert based on improving weather conditions, most notably an increasing chance of rain and significantly higher relative humidity for much of the state.
It is expected that Lexington County's Fire Chief Mark Davis will follow suit and lift the ban on general debris burning in Lexington County at the same time or shortly thereafter. Here, there is an ordinance that allows David to put the ban in place whenever the SC Forestry Commission implements a Red Flag Fire Alert.
“Weekends are normally our busiest time responding to fires caused by escaped debris burns, but the number of wildfires we responded to this weekend was greatly reduced with the Red Flag Fire Alert in place and the public’s cooperation to postpone their outdoor burning,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “Fuel conditions are starting to improve as forests green up, but we need additional rain before fire danger significantly moderates.”
A Red Flag Fire Alert does not prohibit outdoor burning, provided that all other state and local regulations are followed, but the Forestry Commission strongly encourages citizens to voluntarily postpone any such burning until the alert is lifted. However, a Red Flag Fire Alert does trigger certain county or local ordinances that restrict outdoor fires, so residents should contact their local fire departments to check whether such restrictions apply in their areas.
