07/04/2026
The South Carolina Forestry Commission wishes everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend! As extremely dry conditions persist across areas of the state, particularly in the P*e Dee and coastal areas, please exercise caution if you choose to burn debris, grill or light fireworks. With many people off work and enjoying outdoor activities — including cookouts and lighting fireworks — along with abnormally dry fuels, the potential for danger is higher than normal.
Remember, fireworks, outdoor cooking and debris burning CAN start wildfires. As always, you are liable under state law for any fire you light that escapes, regardless of whether it started as a bottle rocket or a barbeque.
If you plan to burn debris outdoors, use extreme caution be sure to follow these steps:
-Limit their fires to vegetative material like leaves, limbs and branches
-Clear a firebreak around the burning site
-Have the right equipment available to keep the fire under control
-Stay with the fire until it is completely safe
Learn more, along with how to notify the Forestry Commission before you burn: https://www.scfc.gov/protection/fire-burning/