COLOMBIA, SC (AP) – South Carolina officials say they are setting fire to about a dozen state parks to reduce the possibility of uncontrolled forest fires in the future.
The prescribed fires began earlier this month and run until late spring, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism said in a statement.
Fires eliminate highly flammable forest residues that can easily burn in a forest fire. Fire has been a natural way to get rid of old, dead growth and help habitats for animals, the agency said.
State forest officials carefully check the weather to make sure they can keep fires under control and minimize the amount of smoke that reaches populated areas, officials said.
But unstable weather conditions mean that fire experts often cannot warn before fires start, officials said.
Prescribed burns have already occurred at Aiken State Park, Cheraw State Park, Devils Fork State Park, Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, Keowee-Toxaway State Park, Oconee State Park and Table Rock State Park, the agency said.
The fires are planned later for Barnwell State Park, Rose Hill State Historic Site and Kings Mountain State Park, officials said.