'Tis the season for prescribed burning

For many years we have been taught that all fire in the forest is bad. What we should have been taught is that uncontrolled fire in the forest is bad. Uncontrolled fires, or wildfires, can cause damage in the forest, but fire in the hands of a skilled professional– prescribed fire– can be a very effective natural resource management tool.

Prescribed burns happen year-round in SC, but a bulk of the burns happen late winter to early spring because of more consistent wind patterns and moderate temperatures. The annual declaration from Gov. Henry McMaster that March is Prescribed Fire Awareness Month draws attention to the benefits of the practice when the number of burns is typically at its peak for the year.

Here are just a few of the prescribed burns that have happened around the state recently.

Historic Camden Battlefield, Kershaw County

The SC Forestry Commission conducted a 40+ acre prescribed burn for Historic Camden Foundation at the Historic Camden Battlefield and Longleaf Pine Preserve last month.

The primary goal of the controlled burn was to remove accumulated hazardous fuels, but another important goal was to restore the landscape to resemble what troops would have seen Aug. 16, 1780, at the Battle of Camden.

“As a forest landowner, we know that prescribed fire is an effective tool to reduce fuel loads and protect the integrity of this hallowed ground. Historical journal accounts tell us that this site would have consisted of towering longleaf pines and an open understory. Partnering with the South Carolina Forestry Commission, we are working to return it to that condition and create an immersive experience for battlefield visitors.”

Stacey Ferguson, Deputy Director of Historic Camden Foundation