Drought lingers across most of S.C., fire risk and occurrence remains high

Drought lingers across most of South Carolina after a dry winter and a dry start to spring.
The six counties that were declared drought free in February have now slipped back into drought (Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, McCormick, Oconee and Pickens). Aiken has been drought free since Dec. 4, but is also back in drought, joining 26 counties that have been in drought since November.
The S.C. Drought Response Committee, meeting via conference call, based their decision to upgrade or maintain the drought declaration based on below normal rainfall, increased wildfire occurrence and declining streamflow levels. The committee voted to keep the no-drought status for 13 counties from the Midlands to the southern coast because these counties have received closer to normal rainfall and streamflows are within the normal range for this time of year.
According to State Climatologist Hope Mizzell, some stations are reporting less than 60 percent of normal rainfall since Dec. 1. For example, Charleson Airport has recorded 7.22 inches of rain since Dec. 1, which is only 56 percent of normal.
The S.C. Department of Environmental Services provided an update on streamflow, groundwater and lake levels. While lake levels are in good shape across the state, below normal streamflow and groundwater conditions in the Upstate supported the decision to move some Upstate counties into incipient drought status and keep other Upstate counties in incipient status, the lowest level of drought on a state scale of incipient, moderate, severe and extreme. Improved streamflow and normal groundwater conditions in the central Midlands and lower parts of the state supported keeping counties in these areas in no-drought status.
Unfortunately, as expected by the S.C. Forestry Commission, the number of fires and acres burned continue to run above normal levels.
Extraordinarily low humidity has persisted throughout March, resulting in the accelerated drying of leaf litter and fine fuels that were left in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s destruction. Low humidity and dry conditions combined with wind are making the fires hard to contain. So far in March, 339 fires have burned 7,916 acres. That’s compared to the five-year average of 290 fires burning 4,134 acres. The acres burned this March will climb as these totals don’t include the large Horry County and Table Rock fires as these fires are still not completely out, according to Leslie Woodham with the Forestry Commission fire staff.
The Drought Response Committee is closely monitoring conditions and will reconvene April 30.
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South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; 260 D Epting Ln, West Columbia, SC 29172
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