Daniel Prince
SC Forestry Service was burning 830 acres northeast of Rose Hill
The Union area was blanketed by smoke Friday afternoon, and several people called in and posted on Facebook wondering why. The SC Forestry Commission does controlled burns in forested areas from time to time. On Friday, they were burning 830 acres to the northeast of Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site as a hazard reduction. Prescribed burns has several different benefits, including hazard reduction, wildlife management, aesthetic enhancement, forest management, and help perpetuate fire-dependent species. Wildfire hazard reduction burns removes some of the fuel under controlled conditions to greatly reduce the chances of a damaging wildfire. Leaves, pine needles, and twigs are some of the fuel sources removed in these sorts of burns, with the idea that if there is little fuel, there can be only a little fire. You can learn more about prescribed burns and see the SC Forestry Commission’s map of prescribed burns online at scfc.gov.