Live fire restrictions & Red Flag Warnings · National Weather Service
🔴 Red Flag Warning
Critical fire weather — extreme danger, high winds, low humidity. Burning is typically banned statewide and by county.
🟠 Fire Weather Watch
Dangerous conditions developing within 24–72 hrs. Monitor for upgrade to Red Flag Warning and imminent restrictions.
⚠️ County bans may differ
South Carolina county burn bans and USFS Stage 1–3 restrictions are separate — always confirm with your local fire authority.
Checking South Carolina fire-weather alerts…
The NWS map above shows fire-weather alerts — for the legally binding burn ban status, go directly to the official South Carolina source:
SC Forestry CommissionBans & alertsOpen official source ↗Also check your county government website — a county burn ban can be in effect even when South Carolina has no statewide restriction.
🚫 Prohibited
✓ Usually Still Allowed
Always confirm with the issuing agency — specific orders vary.
County burn bans in South Carolina are issued separately from state-level restrictions — a county can be under a burn ban even when the rest of the state is not. County commissioners, the county fire marshal, or the county judge typically issue these orders, and they are not reflected in NWS alerts shown on the map above.
SC Forestry Commission publishes current statewide and county burn ban status.
South Carolina Burn Bans — SC Forestry CommissionView county map ↗Federal land managers use a tiered system that escalates as fire danger increases. Stage restrictions apply only to the land they are issued for — your county may have a separate burn ban on private land.
Open burning prohibited. Campfires may still be allowed in designated fire rings at developed campgrounds. Portable gas and pressurized-liquid stoves are typically allowed in cleared areas.
All open fires prohibited — including campfires in developed campgrounds. Gas stoves may be allowed in cleared areas. Chainsaw use and motorized off-road vehicles restricted.
Maximum restriction before full closure. All fires may be prohibited. Motorized vehicle use off designated roads, shooting, and spark-producing tools are typically banned.
State or county-level complete ban on all open burning — campfires, burn barrels, brush and agricultural burning. Gas and propane grills for cooking are usually still allowed.
Area is fully closed — no public access or fire-related activity of any kind is permitted.
Typically equivalent to Stage 1. Open burning prohibited; campfires in developed campgrounds may still be allowed. Common on BLM land in NV, OR, and ID.
Agency-specific restriction with unique terms. Always read the specific order from the issuing land management office — scope varies significantly.
Oregon ODF Industrial Fire Precaution Level — applies to industrial operations (logging, equipment) on ODF-protected state and private forestland. IFPL I is the lowest level; IFPL IV is the most restrictive. Separate from USFS campfire restrictions.
Restriction scope and exact prohibitions vary by agency and order. Always confirm with the issuing land management office or visit the official source linked above.
South Carolina does not issue burn permits but requires a notification to the SCFC before any residential yard debris burn outside city/town limits. Notification can be made online at scfc.gov or by calling the county-specific toll-free burn notification number listed on the SCFC website. Prescribed burns require coordination with the SCFC and must be conducted by or under the supervision of a Certified Prescribed Fire Manager (CPFM).
Get South Carolina burning permit ↗Or call the South Carolina forestry hotline: (803) 896-8800
South Carolina's primary wildfire season runs from January through mid-April, when dormant pine and hardwood understory fuels dry out, humidity drops, and spring winds increase. The Piedmont and Sandhills regions in the central state and the Coastal Plain's longleaf pine and wiregrass systems are particularly vulnerable. In March and April 2026, the SCFC issued a statewide burn ban under particularly volatile dry and windy conditions, with the State Forester citing the most dangerous combination of drought, wind, and low humidity in years.
Statewide or regional burn bans and open-burning suspensions on state and private land.
County-wide burn bans — the level that most often affects homeowners and is easy to miss.
Stage 1–3 fire restrictions and closures on national forests, parks, and other federal land.
Municipal open-burning rules, fireworks bans, and local red-flag restrictions.
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The live map and status strip above show active Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches from the National Weather Service for South Carolina. For the legally binding answer, check the official South Carolina source: SC Forestry Commission at https://www.scfc.gov/protection/fire-burning/fire-resources/bans-alerts/. Also confirm with your county — a county burn ban can be in effect even when no statewide restriction exists.
During an active burn ban, South Carolina prohibits: Starting any fire in or adjacent to woodlands, brushlands, grasslands, ditchbanks, or hedgerows during a State Forester's Burning Ban; All campfires and recreational fires during a State Forester's Burning Ban (applies in all unincorporated areas); Yard debris burning, prescribed burning, and bonfires during a State Forester's Burning Ban; Any outdoor burning during a Governor's Burning Ban (allows fewer exemptions than State Forester's ban); Open burning from April 1 through October 30 by single-family residential construction sites; Burning without notifying the SCFC before igniting outside city and town limits; Burning materials other than natural vegetative debris (leaves, limbs, branches). Typically still allowed: Fires for food preparation at any time (exempt from State Forester's Burning Ban); Fires in appropriate enclosures: portable outdoor fireplaces, chimineas, permanent fire pits of stone, masonry, metal, or other noncombustible material; Propane and gas grills for cooking; Certified Prescribed Fire Manager burns when specifically exempted by the Governor's Burning Ban; Burning within city and town corporate limits (bans apply only in unincorporated areas). Always verify the specific order with SC Forestry Commission — prohibited activities can vary by jurisdiction and restriction level.
Gas and propane grills used for cooking on private residential property are typically allowed during a South Carolina burn ban. Charcoal grills may be permitted in calm conditions but check the specific order. Wood-fired grills, outdoor fire pits, and campfires are usually prohibited. Always verify with SC Forestry Commission before lighting anything.
Multiple authorities can issue burn bans in South Carolina independently: SC Forestry Commission for statewide or regional orders; State Forester (SC Forestry Commission Director) issues State Forester's Burning Bans; Governor issues Governor's Burning Bans upon State Forester recommendation; individual counties and municipalities may enact stricter local ordinances enforced by local fire or code enforcement officers for county-wide bans that affect most homeowners; federal land managers (U.S. Forest Service, BLM, NPS) for Stage 1–3 restrictions on federal land; and cities or local fire districts for additional local rules. A county burn ban can be active even with no statewide restriction — always check both.
Burn bans in South Carolina have no fixed duration — they are issued when fire danger is high and lifted when conditions improve, which can happen overnight or persist for weeks during drought. Red Flag Warnings from the NWS typically last 24–48 hours. State and county burn bans are lifted separately. Check the issuing agency daily during dry, windy conditions.
South Carolina's primary wildfire season runs from January through mid-April, when dormant pine and hardwood understory fuels dry out, humidity drops, and spring winds increase. The Piedmont and Sandhills regions in the central state and the Coastal Plain's longleaf pine and wiregrass systems are particularly vulnerable. In March and April 2026, the SCFC issued a statewide burn ban under particularly volatile dry and windy conditions, with the State Forester citing the most dangerous combination of drought, wind, and low humidity in years.
South Carolina does not issue burn permits but requires a notification to the SCFC before any residential yard debris burn outside city/town limits. Notification can be made online at scfc.gov or by calling the county-specific toll-free burn notification number listed on the SCFC website. Prescribed burns require coordination with the SCFC and must be conducted by or under the supervision of a Certified Prescribed Fire Manager (CPFM).
Violating a South Carolina burn ban can result in: First offense burn ban violation: fine up to $200; Second and subsequent burn ban violations: minimum $500 fine; Burning without required SCFC notification: subject to citation and suppression cost liability; Civil liability for all firefighting and suppression costs when uncontrolled fire results from illegal burning; Arson and reckless burning charges possible under SC Code for fires that spread and cause property damage.
Sign up for free FireRisk.ai fire alerts below — we'll notify you when the NWS issues a Red Flag Warning for your area of South Carolina. For county burn ban alerts, register with your county emergency management system (Nixle, Everbridge, or your county's sign-up page). Monitor SC Forestry Commission at https://www.scfc.gov/protection/fire-burning/fire-resources/bans-alerts/ for statewide orders.
FireRisk.ai aggregates live fire-weather alerts from the National Weather Service and links to official South Carolina agency sources. Burn ban status changes daily — always confirm with the official source and your county before any outdoor burning. This page is for awareness only and is not an official or legal notice. For fire emergencies call 911.
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