PineRidge Station 8 DCFD

Its that time of year again This is the Pine Ridge Christmas Eve parade if you plan on being in the parade please plan on meeting at station 8 at 5:00 to line up and we start at dark

Today South Carolina lost a legend a mentor and great teacher but most importantly a great brother and friend rest easy daddy don we got it from here

It’s that time of year again come see us at 151 and w old Camden for our boot drive

A statewide burning ban is now in effect due to dangerous wildfire conditions.

The South Carolina Forestry Commission is issuing a statewide Red Flag Fire Alert, effective immediately until further notice.

The alert is being issued to discourage people from burning outdoors when weather conditions present an elevated risk of wildfire. In addition to dry fuels resulting from the lack of significant rain, forecasts are calling for very low relative humidity values – below 30% – and gusty winds across much of the state through the weekend.

A Red Flag Fire Alert does not prohibit outdoor burning, provided that all other state and local regulations are followed, but the Forestry Commission uses the alert to strongly encourage citizens to voluntarily postpone any such burning until the alert is lifted. Land managers who are considering conducting prescribed fires should take extra care if they choose to burn under a Red Flag.

“The dangerous conditions we’re going to see over the next few days make a good portion of the state vulnerable to fires that can spread rapidly and be difficult to control,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “These kinds of spring weather patterns are what make this time of year the traditional peak of our wildfire season.”

SCFC firefighters responded to 183 wildfires in January alone, nearly double its five-year average for the first month of the year. The agency has already recorded more than 300 wildfires in February. Historically, wildfire occurrence in South Carolina is greater in March than in any other month.

While small, scattered areas of the state have received minimal rainfall this week, fuels are still very dry in critical areas. Low relative humidity and high wind speeds add greatly to the risk factors for wildfire ignition.

Although a Red Flag Fire Alert does not ban outdoor burning, it 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. The alert will remain in effect until lifted by the Commission, whose fire managers will continuously monitor the situation.