2015 S.C Prescribed Fire Council in Walterboro

Using a drip torch is a common in prescribed fire

A two-day meeting that raises awareness about using controlled fire in the Palmetto State came to town last week. The annual meeting of the Prescribed Fire Council rotates around the state, and in 2014 the meeting was held in the upstate at Lake Jocassee. More than one hundred natural resources professionals and private land managers came for the field trip, Farmer’s Market social and meetings at the Colleton Center.

            

SCDNR's Jay Cantrell and other staff attended

A trip to Clarendon Plantation in Beaufort County was held on Wednesday, September 23. The heart of this 6000-acre property is dedicated to quail hunting so the pine woods undergo a regular rotation or regime of prescribed fire. Aesthetics are a large reason why they burn said plantation manager Jason Hewitt. He also made the point that with wetter and heavier soils found in the Lowcountry, the rotation of fire has to be more frequent than say in an area with sandy soils that don’t produce as much vegetation.

Scott O'Quinn strides through uplands at Clarendon Plantation

The average number of acres burned each year in S.C. is 500,000, and the only way to increase this number is to involve more folks, and educate the public that smoke from a prescribed fire is a good thing. The S.C. Prescribed Fire Council is looking to build relations between those that choose to burn and their local communities. Next year’s meeting is scheduled to be held in the Midlands, and I hope to see you there.

To view the story in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries about controlled burning click on 2015 Prescribed Fire - Plowing Firebreaks - 2014 Dry Weather Fire Threat - SCDNR Prescribed Fire - 2013 Prescribed Fire - 2012 Prescribed Fire - 2009 Wildfire - 2009 Prescribed Fire Council

Ernie Wiggers and Jason Hewitt speak to attendees