The ongoing drought and a preponderance of wildfire fuel has fire officials concerned that Independence Day fireworks could lead to more than fire in the sky.
“We encourage folks to just use common sense,” said Billy Barnette of the Columbus County office of the N.C. Forest Service. “If you’re going to be lighting fireworks at home, have a garden hose and a flat point shovel close by.”
Extremely dry conditions and hot weather make for prime burning, Barnette said.
“We have a lot of fine fuels,” he explained. “Pine straw, dry grass, limbs under a quarter-inch in diameter. All those things soak up moisture very quickly, but they also dry out and burn very quickly.”
The Forest Service and area fire departments are working to suppress a wildfire in the Sandyfield area that consumed 35 acres Tuesday. Barnette said a spotter plane found the fire near the intersection of Old Lake and N.C. 11. The fire was currently listed at zero containment at 11:30 a.m. today (Wednesday). Tractor-plows, ground units and aircraft are actively deployed. The cause of the blaze is undetermined at this time.
Another 30-acre fire in the Buckhead community was listed at 30 percent contained as of 11:30 a.m. Several small (half an acre or less) fires are also being monitored in the county.
In a press release earlier this week, the Forest Service stressed avoiding accidental fires from other sources as well.
Improperly maintained farm equipment can cause fires that quickly get out of control, the NCFS said. Hot exhaust systems, crop residue around the engine, belts and chains, and fuel leaks can lead to accidental fires.
Improperly discarded smoking materials can spark fires along roadsides, and even dragging chains from trailers or equipment can cause accidental ignition that leads to a wildfire. With low humidity and 100-degree temperatures, even a small outdoor fire can quickly get out control.
No burning bans are in place in Columbus County at this time,
The State Parks are also urging fire safety. At Lake Waccamaw, staff are preparing for one of the busiest weekends of the year, despite extremely low water levels. No restrictions have been put in place at State Parks as of July 1.
Visitors are urged to use caution and properly dispose of smoking materials and charcoal from grills while visiting or camping at the park. Fires may only be used in designated areas at State Parks.
The main concern for the NCFS over the next few days, however, is fireworks safety, Barnette said.
“The best plan is to always leave fireworks to the professionals,” he said. “Even with the fireworks show at the State Fair every year, the NCFS is standing by with equipment. The county fireworks shows, they’ll have a plan in place.
“When it’s this dry, it doesn’t take much for a serious fire to get started. We’d rather everyone just enjoy the July 4 holiday.”
