South Carolina’s suburban growth raises wildfire risks

Hundreds of South Carolinians evacuated early this month when a wildfire outbreak threatened to burn their homes.  

But wildfires aren’t coming to us. We are living closer to them. 

Wildfires are common in the state. There are at least three wildfires every day, according to Doug Wood, the South Carolina Forestry Commission’s director of communications. But most of those fires occur far from people.  

New housing developments are changing the situation. South Carolina’s growing suburban population is moving into areas that were once wilderness, putting them at greater risk of wildfire. 

South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states. But it’s where and how growth happens that determines fire risk.  

The ongoing Carolina Forest wildfire in Myrtle Beach is surrounded by areas of wildland-urban interface. Those areas are transition zones between urban development and wilderness, Wood said. 

“The fire in Myrtle Beach is what we in the industry, in this business, call a WUI (wildland-urban interface) fire,” he said. “And we’d love for more fire-wise planning to go in a new development.” 

About 56% of homes in South Carolina are in WUI areas, according to 2020 data from the U.S. Forestry Service. The number has increased by 66% since 1990, according to the data. Counties regulate growth within their boundaries. No federal or state regulations exist for WUI developments.  

Wildfires are a natural ecosystem process, said John Kupfer, a professor of geography and wildland fire researcher at the University of South Carolina. But wildfires can be artificially started by WUI developments, such as contact with power lines, he said. 

“One of the challenges is that ignitions have tended to increase,” he said. “Because now many of the ignitions that we have are human caused.” 

Prescribed burnings, intentional fires that clear vegetation and overgrowth, are a common method of wildfire prevention in South Carolina. Controlled burns have risks, but can prevent worse fires, Kupfer said.  If WUI developments continue to increase, they could make such burns more difficult, he said.

Climate change may worsen wildfires. South Carolina’s wildfire season spans from late winter to early spring, but is predicted to lengthen, Kupfer said. Fire intensity also will likely increase, he said.  

South Carolina’s wildfires are different from those in other states. Some vegetation in states such as California produce fire-fueling leaves, Kupfer said. South Carolina’s vegetation doesn’t produce them, he said.  

The South Carolina Forestry Commission informs communities about WUI and fire-prevention measures, Wood said. The commission is the sole state agency tasked with wildfire suppression.

“We historically have learned that our fleet of 160 bulldozers and our other resources are generally enough to handle whatever gets thrown our way, including this weekend,” Wood said. 

But the commission can’t prevent all wildfires. 

“Wildfire is a fact of life,” he said. “We can do everything we can to prevent as many of them as we can, but they’re going to happen.”