26/03/2025
TABLE ROCK COMPLEX UPDATE – PICKENS COUNTY SC – 22:00:00 –MARCH 25, 2025
• Extreme fire behavior on both incidents today prompted immediate mandatory evacuations in Greenville and Pickens counties and led to significant expansion of both fires’ perimeters.
• The evacuation shelter for all affected residents is Marietta First Baptist Church at 2936 Geer Hwy, Marietta SC 29661). All roads in both counties are listed on the South Carolina Forestry Commission’s page at https://www.facebook.com/ForestryCommish/
• Incident command staff has ordered a complex incident management team (CIMT) to join firefighters and other cooperator personnel in the ongoing effort to suppress the Table Rock Fire and Persimmon Ridge Fire. The CIMT is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, shadow with current IMT personnel Thursday and integrate to form a larger command team by Friday.
• Incident officials also have ordered eight 20-person hand crews to assist with constructing firelines well outside of originally planned firebreaks.
• While good progress was made on strengthening firebreaks on some portions of both fires earlier in the day, wind gusts dramatically increased fire activity later in the afternoon, resulting in greater, visible fire intensity and much more smoke.
• The abundance of downed timber from Hurricane Helene remains dry from the lack of significant rain, contributing greatly to the extreme fire behavior today as well.
• The weather forecast overnight and tomorrow remains concerning, with wind gusts expected to reach around 30 mph tonight, minimum 20% relative humidity Wednesday and periods of windy gusts throughout the day.
• Multiple aircraft dropped water and/or retardant on both fires throughout the day (see detail on each fire below).
TABLE ROCK FIRE:
• Despite very good progress fortifying containment lines on the eastern edge of the fire, including a burnout on the northeastern perimeter that otherwise prevented further spread eastward, the Table Rock Fire expanded greatly in the other direction today. The Table Rock Fire is now estimated to be 2, 293 acres.
• The Table Rock Fire, whose northern edge yesterday was just south of Table Rock Reservoir, essentially burned westward along the forested watershed and eventually back east, halfway around the lake’s northern perimeter. The fire is estimated to have burnt all the way through the southern slopes of Rocky Mountain and Buzzard Mountain, eventually reaching Brushy K**b at last report.
• Containment lines on the southern portion of the fire were connected by hand crews today, working in steep, littered terrain where heavy equipment is not able to operate. A burnout of this southern section was successful in removing remaining fuels between the firebreaks and the active fire.
• Two SCNG Black Hawk helicopters dropped water on the fire throughout the day. As fire activity increased in the afternoon, a SLED helicopter and two SCNG Chinooks moved to the Table Rock Fire to assist with additional water drops.
PERSIMMON RIDGE FIRE:
• The Persimmon Ridge Fire expanded its eastern, western and southern of its Monday perimeters today, tripling in size to 996 acres, owing to the same conditions that led to the expansion of the Table Rock Fire.
• Today two large air tankers (LATs) began making multiple fire retardant drops on the Persimmon Ridge Fire around 2:40 p.m. to help slow the fire’s spread if it jumps the established firelines or continues to spread west and/or south. The first several drops were made along the northern perimeter, along Oil Camp Creek Road, and the western perimeter. Drops continued throughout the afternoon along the other edges of the fire in an intensive effort to contain the fire in a “box” ringed with retardant.
• LATs can carry between 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of retardant, which alter the way the fire burns, primarily by decreasing fire intensity and slowing its spread. They contain a combination of retardant salts (typically fertilizers) and water that aid in the uniform dispersal of the chemical over the target area.
• Two SCNG Chinook helicopters also dropped water on the fire, dipping from nearby lakes, before the LATs arrived to drop retardant.
PARTNER UPDATES:
Greenville and Pickens County Emergency Management services
Both Greenville and Pickens County Emergency Management services rapidly coordinated the simultaneous evacuations, shelter accommodations and wireless emergency alert (WEA) notifications that were sent to residents in the affected areas.
SC State Fire
SC State fire has ordered 20 engines and 10 brush trucks for structure protection due to the new fire growth/threat and evacuations. This will add to their existing presence of six engine companies, three battalion chiefs and four brush trucks.
South Carolina Forestry Commission
REMINDER ABOUT STATEWIDE BURNING BAN: A statewide burning ban issued Friday, March 21 remains in effect. A State Forester’s Burning Ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning, campfires, bonfires and other recreational fires in all unincorporated areas of the state. The ban is remaining in place for several reasons. Fire danger will be elevated over the next several days as most of the state is forecast to have low relative humidities and higher-than-normal winds, coupled with drying fuels from a lack of significant rain. It also helps ease the strain on statewide firefighting resources with so many personnel from the Forestry Commission and local fire departments committed to the Table Rock Complex. Officials will reevaluate conditions Thursday.
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INCIDENT INFORMATION
FIRE BACKGROUND:
Table Rock Fire: Human-caused / March 21, 2025 / Table Rock State Park
Persimmon Ridge Fire: Human-caused / March 22, 2025 / Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area southeast of Caesars Head State Park
FIRE SIZE:
Table Rock Fire: 2, 293 acres
Persimmon Ridge Fire: 996 acres
CONTAINMENT:
Table Rock Fire: 0% containment
Persimmon Ridge Fire: 0% containment
EVACUATIONS: Multiple evacuations to the east/northeast of the Table Rock Fire, encompassing areas around the Persimmon Ridge Fire as well. All roads in both counties are listed on the South Carolina Forestry Commission’s page at https://www.facebook.com/ForestryCommish/
ESTIMATED COSTS TO DATE: N/A
FIRE CREWS/RESOURCES: More than 100 personnel from SCFC, SC State Fire, The Nature Conservancy, Greenville Water, the USDA Forest Service, SCDNR, SLED, Pickens County EMD and local FDs
INJURIES: No injuries have been reported.
UPDATES: Updates will be provided only as new information becomes available.
