TROOPERS HAVE NOT SAID WHAT LED TO THE CRASH. NOW TO OUR BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE OF THE WILDFIRES THAT CONTINUE TO BURN ACROSS THE CAROLINAS. A BURN BAN REMAINS IN EFFECT IN BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA AND NOW MANDATORY EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED. CREWS ARE BATTLING FIVE DIFFERENT WILDFIRES. THREE OF THEM ARE IN POLK COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. MOST OF THE WILDFIRES ARE AT 0% CONTAINMENT. AND NEW TONIGHT, A MAJOR UPDATE ON THE WILDFIRES IN POLK COUNTY. THAT’S RIGHT. THE NORTH CAROLINA FOREST SERVICE HELD A MEETING IN FLAT ROCK. OUR NATE STANLEY WAS AT THAT MEETING. HE JOINS US NOW WITH THE LATEST UPDATE FROM OFFICIALS. NATE. WELL, ALTHOUGH TWO OF THOSE THREE FIRES STILL REMAIN UNCONTAINED, THE NORTH CAROLINA FORESTRY SERVICE SAYS THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT AN END COULD BE IN SIGHT. I DON’T WANT TO LOSE MY HOME. YOU KNOW, AND THEN MY ANIMALS AS THE BLACK COVE FIRE COMPLEX CONTINUES TO BURN THROUGH POLK COUNTY. PEOPLE SAY THEY’RE WATCHING THE FLAMES INCH CLOSER TO THEIR HOMES. I’M HOPING THAT IT DOESN’T JUMP. AND WE GET IT OVER THERE AND BURNS. IT BURNS UP OUR PROPERTY. HERE’S JEREMY WALDROP WITH THE NC FOREST SERVICE. USE RIDGES, RIVERS, CREEKS, EVEN DEBRIS FLOWS. DEBRIS FLOWS THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OVER FROM THE GIFT FROM HELENE ROCKS. WHATEVER WE CAN IN THERE WILL ANCHOR TO THOSE AND DIG IN LINE OR PUSH LINE OFF OF THAT. IF THERE ARE ANY ROADS THAT ARE USABLE, WE USE THOSE AS WELL. DURING TUESDAY’S PUBLIC MEETING, LOCAL AND STATE FIRE OFFICIALS GAVE UPDATED INFORMATION AND ANSWERED QUESTIONS WERE POSITIVE ABOUT THE PROCESS OR ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT’S BEING MADE ABOUT A BUNCH OF HIGHLY MOTIVATED FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE ON THE LINE, AND THEY’RE WILLING TO BUTTON THIS UP AS QUICK AS WE CAN. KELLY HANSEN LIVES NEAR THE BLACK COVE FIRE AND SAYS SHE FEELS MORE AT EASE AFTER HEARING THESE UPDATES. IT SOUNDED LIKE WE HAVE A RIVER BETWEEN US AND THAT WE HOPEFULLY, IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS OR SO WITH THE WIND, THAT MAYBE WE’LL BE IN GOOD SHAPE AS SOME AREAS ARE BEING TOLD TO EVACUATE. WALDROP SAYS THERE ARE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO PROTECT YOUR HOME. BEGIN MOVING ANY DEBRIS, LITTER OR ANY LEAF LITTER. CLEANING OUT YOUR GUTTERS. TAKING ALL YOUR FIREWOOD AWAY FROM YOUR HOME. ANY FLAMMABLE MATERIALS CAN BE REMOVED FROM YOUR HOME. JUST CREATING A GOOD DEFENSIBLE SPACE. AND WALDROP DID CONFIRM THAT THERE WAS A FIREFIGHTER INJURED IN THE FIELD TODAY. THAT WAS THEN HOSPITALIZED. HE DID NOT GIVE US ANY UPDATED INFORMATION ON THAT. FIREFIGHTER’S CONDITION. WE’LL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU UPDATED AS WE HEAR MORE REPORTING IN POLK COUNTY. REPORTING IN HENDERSON COUNTY NATE STANLEY, WYFF NEWS FOUR. AND THREE WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO BURN IN POLK COUNTY. THOSE FIRES HAVE BEEN BURNING SINCE LAST WEEK. THE DEEP WOODS FIRE IS MORE THAN 2900 ACRES. IT’S 0% CONTAINED. THE BLACK COVE FIRE IS MORE THAN 3000 ACRES AND IS 0% CONTAINED AS WELL. THE FISHHOOK FIRE IS 199 ACRES AND IS 72% CONTAINED. DUE TO THESE FIRES, AGAIN SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED. AND IN PICKENS COUNTY, MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ARE BEING ORDERED BECAUSE OF THE TABLE ROCK FIRE. AS OF THIS MORNING, THE FIRE IS ABOUT 1200 ACRES. WE’RE TOLD THAT FIRE AND THE PERSIMMON RIDGE FIRE ARE BEING FOUGHT TOGETHER. SO THAT MEANS THEY’RE NOW CLASSIFIED AS A COMPLEX FIRE. PICKENS COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY ALL AREAS NORTH OF HIGHWAY 11 SHOULD BE EVACUATED IMMEDIATELY. PEOPLE CAN GO TO AN EVACUATION SHELTER AT MARIETTA FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH ON GREER HIGHWAY. YOU CAN SEE AN ENTIRE LIST OF ROADS THAT ARE UNDER THAT EVACUATION ORDER RIGHT NOW ON WYFF4.COM. AND EMERGENCY CREWS ARE IN POSITION, READY TO PROTECT HOMES NEAR THE PERSIMMON RIDGE FIRE. THIS AFTERNOON, THE SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY COMMISSION ROLLED BACK ITS VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS NEAR THE FIRE. ABOUT 500 HOUSEHOLDS WERE UNDER THREAT DUE TO BLOWING EMBERS. THE PERSIMMON RIDGE FIRE, NOW PART OF THE TABLE ROCK COMPLEX FIRE, SITS AT 314 ACRES AND 0% CONTAINMENT. THIS AFTERNOON, FIREFIGHTERS WERE PUSHING THE FLAMES BACK, FACING DRY, WINDY WEATHER, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND HURRICANE HELENE DEBRIS BLOCKING THE WAY AND FUELING THAT FIRE. SO TODAY, WE’RE SEEING MORE ACTIVE FIRE BEHAVIOR THAN WE WERE SEEING YESTERDAY. THAT RAIN GAVE US A LITTLE TIME TO BUILD THOSE CONTROL LINES AND GO BACK AND STRENGTHEN THEM A LITTLE BIT AS WELL. TODAY WE’RE WORKING ON STRENGTHENING THOSE AGAIN, BUILDING MORE, AND ALSO BACK BURNING. FIRST RESPONDER
Updates on Table Rock, Persimmon Ridge fires in Pickens, Greenville counties in South Carolina
Two wildfires are burning in Greenville and Pickens counties in South Carolina and we are working to provide the latest updates on both fires. We are monitoring the Table Rock fire and the Persimmon Ridge Fire around the clock and will provides updates here. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LATEST EVACUATIONS DUE TO THESE FIRESWednesday morning latest from South Carolina Forestry Commission: Extreme fire behavior on both incidents Tuesday prompted immediate mandatory evacuations in Greenville and Pickens counties and led to significant expansion of both fires’ perimeters.The evacuation shelter for all affected residents is Marietta First Baptist Church at 2936 Geer Hwy, Marietta SC 29661). All roads in both counties are listed on the South Carolina Forestry Commission’s Facebook page at command staff has ordered a complex incident management team (CIMT) to join firefighters and other cooperator personnel in the ongoing effort to suppress the Table Rock Fire and Persimmon Ridge Fire. The CIMT is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, shadow with current IMT personnel Thursday and integrate to form a larger command team by Friday. Incident officials also have ordered eight 20-person hand crews to assist with constructing firelines well outside of originally planned firebreaks. While good progress was made on strengthening firebreaks on some portions of both fires earlier in the day, wind gusts dramatically increased fire activity later in the afternoon, resulting in greater, visible fire intensity and much more smoke. The abundance of downed timber from Hurricane Helene remains dry from the lack of significant rain, contributing greatly to the extreme fire behavior today as well. The weather forecast overnight and tomorrow remains concerning, with wind gusts expected to reach around 30 mph tonight, minimum 20% relative humidity Wednesday and periods of windy gusts throughout the day.• Multiple aircraft dropped water and/or retardant on both fires throughout the day (see detail on each fire below).TABLE ROCK FIRE: Despite very good progress fortifying containment lines on the eastern edge of the fire, including a burnout on the northeastern perimeter that otherwise prevented further spread eastward, the Table Rock Fire expanded greatly in the other direction today. The Table Rock Fire is now estimated to be 2, 293 acres. The Table Rock Fire, whose northern edge yesterday was just south of Table Rock Reservoir, essentially burned westward along the forested watershed and eventually back east, halfway around the lake’s northern perimeter. The fire is estimated to have burnt all the way through the southern slopes of Rocky Mountain and Buzzard Mountain, eventually reaching Brushy Knob at last report. Containment lines on the southern portion of the fire were connected by hand crews today, working in steep, littered terrain where heavy equipment is not able to operate. A burnout of this southern section was successful in removing remaining fuels between the firebreaks and the active fire. Two SCNG Black Hawk helicopters dropped water on the fire throughout the day. As fire activity increased in the afternoon, a SLED helicopter and two SCNG Chinooks moved to the Table Rock Fire to assist with additional water drops.PERSIMMON RIDGE FIRE: The Persimmon Ridge Fire expanded its eastern, western and southern of its Monday perimeters today, tripling in size to 996 acres, owing to the same conditions that led to the expansion of the Table Rock Fire. Today two large air tankers (LATs) began making multiple fire retardant drops on the Persimmon Ridge Fire around 2:40 p.m. to help slow the fire’s spread if it jumps the established firelines or continues to spread west and/or south. The first several drops were made along the northern perimeter, along Oil Camp Creek Road, and the western perimeter. Drops continued throughout the afternoon along the other edges of the fire in an intensive effort to contain the fire in a “box” ringed with retardant. LATs can carry between 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of retardant, which alter the way the fire burns, primarily by decreasing fire intensity and slowing its spread. They contain a combination of retardant salts (typically fertilizers) and water that aid in the uniform dispersal of the chemical over the target area. Two SCNG Chinook helicopters also dropped water on the fire, dipping from nearby lakes, before the LATs arrived to drop retardant.PARTNER UPDATES: Greenville and Pickens County Emergency Management services. Both Greenville and Pickens County Emergency Management services rapidly coordinated the simultaneous evacuations, shelter accommodations and wireless emergency alert (WEA) notifications that were sent to residents in the affected areas. SC State Fire: SC State fire has ordered 20 engines and 10 brush trucks for structure protection due to the new fire growth/threat and evacuations. This will add to their existing presence of six engine companies, three battalion chiefs and four brush trucks.South Carolina Forestry CommissionREMINDER ABOUT STATEWIDE BURNING BAN: A statewide burning ban issued Friday, March 21 remains in effect. A State Forester’s Burning Ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning, campfires, bonfires and other recreational fires in all unincorporated areas of the state. The ban is remaining in place for several reasons. Fire danger will be elevated over the next several days as most of the state is forecast to have low relative humidities and higher-than-normal winds, coupled with drying fuels from a lack of significant rain. It also helps ease the strain on statewide firefighting resources with so many personnel from the Forestry Commission and local fire departments committed to the Table Rock Complex. Officials will reevaluate conditions Thursday.
Two wildfires are burning in Greenville and Pickens counties in South Carolina and we are working to provide the latest updates on both fires.
We are monitoring the Table Rock fire and the Persimmon Ridge Fire around the clock and will provides updates here.
Wednesday morning latest from South Carolina Forestry Commission:
Extreme fire behavior on both incidents Tuesday prompted immediate mandatory evacuations in Greenville and Pickens counties and led to significant expansion of both fires’ perimeters.
The evacuation shelter for all affected residents is Marietta First Baptist Church at 2936 Geer Hwy, Marietta SC 29661). All roads in both counties are listed on the South Carolina Forestry Commission’s Facebook page at =AZXj4jlbrNrrNxr85iTH2xYzEm-i4HG9YtcffsD44UEDX-u1A4UnmdTG6NyOHGGU4brmNb4wwvdR45phDQU2a2lGGZeqximUN1DQHoaqzeyQqIbGcUJjINijqmAJjIto4NAPfHKTQqzgxaItjGhCq2TdGB4eNDnE3y6uUtzFxQtT16ojOWdtdkg1zKoZn8RdDSs&__tn__=-]K-R” role=”link” tabindex=”0″>
Incident command staff has ordered a complex incident management team (CIMT) to join firefighters and other cooperator personnel in the ongoing effort to suppress the Table Rock Fire and Persimmon Ridge Fire. The CIMT is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, shadow with current IMT personnel Thursday and integrate to form a larger command team by Friday. Incident officials also have ordered eight 20-person hand crews to assist with constructing firelines well outside of originally planned firebreaks. While good progress was made on strengthening firebreaks on some portions of both fires earlier in the day, wind gusts dramatically increased fire activity later in the afternoon, resulting in greater, visible fire intensity and much more smoke. The abundance of downed timber from Hurricane Helene remains dry from the lack of significant rain, contributing greatly to the extreme fire behavior today as well. The weather forecast overnight and tomorrow remains concerning, with wind gusts expected to reach around 30 mph tonight, minimum 20% relative humidity Wednesday and periods of windy gusts throughout the day.• Multiple aircraft dropped water and/or retardant on both fires throughout the day (see detail on each fire below).
TABLE ROCK FIRE: Despite very good progress fortifying containment lines on the eastern edge of the fire, including a burnout on the northeastern perimeter that otherwise prevented further spread eastward, the Table Rock Fire expanded greatly in the other direction today. The Table Rock Fire is now estimated to be 2, 293 acres. The Table Rock Fire, whose northern edge yesterday was just south of Table Rock Reservoir, essentially burned westward along the forested watershed and eventually back east, halfway around the lake’s northern perimeter. The fire is estimated to have burnt all the way through the southern slopes of Rocky Mountain and Buzzard Mountain, eventually reaching Brushy Knob at last report. Containment lines on the southern portion of the fire were connected by hand crews today, working in steep, littered terrain where heavy equipment is not able to operate. A burnout of this southern section was successful in removing remaining fuels between the firebreaks and the active fire. Two SCNG Black Hawk helicopters dropped water on the fire throughout the day. As fire activity increased in the afternoon, a SLED helicopter and two SCNG Chinooks moved to the Table Rock Fire to assist with additional water drops.
PERSIMMON RIDGE FIRE: The Persimmon Ridge Fire expanded its eastern, western and southern of its Monday perimeters today, tripling in size to 996 acres, owing to the same conditions that led to the expansion of the Table Rock Fire. Today two large air tankers (LATs) began making multiple fire retardant drops on the Persimmon Ridge Fire around 2:40 p.m. to help slow the fire’s spread if it jumps the established firelines or continues to spread west and/or south. The first several drops were made along the northern perimeter, along Oil Camp Creek Road, and the western perimeter. Drops continued throughout the afternoon along the other edges of the fire in an intensive effort to contain the fire in a “box” ringed with retardant. LATs can carry between 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of retardant, which alter the way the fire burns, primarily by decreasing fire intensity and slowing its spread. They contain a combination of retardant salts (typically fertilizers) and water that aid in the uniform dispersal of the chemical over the target area. Two SCNG Chinook helicopters also dropped water on the fire, dipping from nearby lakes, before the LATs arrived to drop retardant.
PARTNER UPDATES: Greenville and Pickens County Emergency Management services. Both Greenville and Pickens County Emergency Management services rapidly coordinated the simultaneous evacuations, shelter accommodations and wireless emergency alert (WEA) notifications that were sent to residents in the affected areas.
SC State Fire: SC State fire has ordered 20 engines and 10 brush trucks for structure protection due to the new fire growth/threat and evacuations. This will add to their existing presence of six engine companies, three battalion chiefs and four brush trucks.South Carolina Forestry Commission
REMINDER ABOUT STATEWIDE BURNING BAN: A statewide burning ban issued Friday, March 21 remains in effect. A State Forester’s Burning Ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning, campfires, bonfires and other recreational fires in all unincorporated areas of the state. The ban is remaining in place for several reasons. Fire danger will be elevated over the next several days as most of the state is forecast to have low relative humidities and higher-than-normal winds, coupled with drying fuels from a lack of significant rain. It also helps ease the strain on statewide firefighting resources with so many personnel from the Forestry Commission and local fire departments committed to the Table Rock Complex. Officials will reevaluate conditions Thursday.
