South Carolina Fires

Daily Wildfire Report for South Carolina - July 12, 2026

Overview

South Carolina is currently experiencing an elevated fire risk, particularly across the Coastal Plain, Sandhills, and Pee Dee regions. This heightened risk is being driven by a prolonged period of severe drought, with 36 counties currently classified under severe drought conditions and 10 in moderate drought as of the state's latest drought response update. Persistent triple-digit heat and significant rainfall deficits have severely dried out vegetation and lowered soil moisture, keeping the wildfire potential above normal for this time of year.

The current National Preparedness Level is 4, indicating that national firefighting resources—including hotshot crews, helicopters, and air tankers—are heavily committed across multiple geographic areas, particularly in the West.

Current Situation

Fire Activity: Currently, there are no large-scale, uncontained wildland fires burning in South Carolina that require national support. Over the last 72 hours, local and state crews have successfully managed initial attacks on minor, localized incidents. State resources remain well-equipped to handle current in-state fire activity, though the South Carolina Forestry Commission (SCFC) is urging residents to use extreme caution with any outdoor burning due to the critically dry conditions.

Key Fires:
(Note: There are currently no significant large-scale wildfires active in South Carolina. Over the past 72 hours, local fire crews have responded to a few minor, rapidly contained brush fires. These smaller ignitions have been primarily fed by dry vegetation, pine needles, and woodland understory fuels that have dried out during the ongoing drought.)

Prescribed Burns and Land Management: The South Carolina Forestry Commission strictly monitors local weather conditions and the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) to regulate prescribed burns. State law requires citizens to notify the SCFC before burning residential yard debris or conducting prescribed forestry and agricultural burns. Due to the current heat and severe drought in the coastal plains, large-scale prescribed burning is being carefully managed, and residents are asked to voluntarily postpone non-essential burning.

Air Quality: Because there are no major active wildfires in the state, air quality is currently stable and largely unaffected by wildfire smoke. Residents may experience brief, localized smoke impacts if they are in the immediate vicinity of permitted agricultural burns or residential yard debris fires.

Weather and Wind Warnings

Current Weather: Conditions are partly sunny with scattered showers and thunderstorms across the state. Temperatures are hovering in the upper 70s to low 90s with high humidity.
Forecasted Weather: The state is facing a continued threat of triple-digit heat and prolonged dryness. While scattered thunderstorms provide some localized relief, they also introduce the risk of lightning strikes and erratic outflow winds (potentially up to 50 mph) that can quickly fan flames. The National Interagency Fire Center has highlighted an increasing significant fire potential across the driest portions of the Carolina Coastal Plain and Sandhills if the hydrological drought continues to intensify.

Recommendations

Public Awareness: South Carolinians are urged to exercise extreme caution with any outdoor activities that could spark a fire. Ensure you have an emergency plan in place, clear dead brush and combustible materials from your property to create a defensible space, and adhere to local water restrictions (mandatory restrictions are currently affecting 15 public water systems). If a wildfire is spotted, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the location clearly.
Resource Allocation: While national resources are stretched thin due to heavy fire activity in other regions, South Carolina's state and local fire crews remain fully equipped and on high alert to suppress new ignitions quickly before they can spread. Agencies are continuing to monitor drought levels and fire weather indices daily.

Resources

For up-to-date emergency information, residents can visit:
National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC): www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfn
South Carolina Forestry Commission: scfc.gov
South Carolina Emergency Management Division: scemd.org

Stay informed and prepared by monitoring these resources regularly.