Officials look into wildfires

U.S. Forest officials suspect arson in two wildfires that burned about 160 acres of forest in Berkeley County in the past few days.

Firefighters contained a 15-acre blaze in the heart of the Francis Marion National Forest hours after it began Friday but still were trying to control it. It took more than a day to contain and control a fire on 150 acres that started Wednesday near Alvin, said Olga Caballero, fire information officer for the U.S. Forest Service.

The S.C. Forestry Commission also was monitoring a brush fire Friday off S.C. Highway 41 between Huger and Cainhoy.

This is forest fire season, which is at it's most dangerous in the state between January and mid-April.

"Hopefully, these last two or three days are an anomaly and not what we have to look forward to," Caballero said.

Caballero said officials haven't had a chance to go through the evidence from the two fires on U.S. Forest Service property but that they're leaning toward arson.

The fire off Highway 41 appeared to have begun when a fire on private property got out of control, officials said.

According to S.C. Forestry Commission statistics, burning debris is the cause of about 35 percent to 45 percent of wildfires in the state.

Arson to woods account for about a quarter of all fires. Smoking, camping and lightning each account for about 2 percent to 4 percent of the state's fires. The commission responds to about 5,000 to 6,000 fires a year.

Wildfires destroy about 20 to 30 homes in the state each year.

Reach Andy Paras at 745-5891 or aparas@postandcourier.com.