Highway 31 Fire After Action Report 2009

The Highway 31 Fire far exceeded the impact of the other 2,001 wildfires that the South Carolina Forestry Commission responded to during the 2009 wildfire season and was easily the largest wildfire since 1976. The $50 million in damage was the greatest of any past wildfire. The fire response to the Highway 31 Fire involved agency personnel from every part of the state, either on the fireline or providing valuable support to the firefighting effort. The extreme fire behavior, inaccessibility, and complexity of the Highway 31 Fire made it very difficult to control and put the lives of citizens, firefighters, and other first responders in great jeopardy. Within a few hours, what started as a small woods fire became the worst wildfire in South Carolina’s history. Highly volatile, continuous fuels, dry weather, strong winds, and unusual weather events combined to create a powerful force of nature that was unpredictable, resulting in 76 homes destroyed, 97 homes damaged, destruction of many other structures and vehicles, plus many businesses lost.

Fire Behavior, Large Fire