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U.S. Forest Service: wildfire burning through a lowcountry national forest is 20% contained

Francis Marion National Forest wildfire, July 2026
Provided/U.S. Forest Service
Francis Marion National Forest wildfire, July 2026

The wildfire in Berkeley County’s Francis Marion Forest has burned more than 1,000 acres of land. Despite the rising number, crews were able to contain the blaze.

At least some of it.

The 15-acre fire was initially reported Saturday afternoon. Since then, crews have battled high winds, extreme heat and an abundance of fire fuel across the forest. After the first full day of firefighting, no containment was reached. As of Tuesday night, the fire is 20% contained.

The Forest Service warns residents that the fire will continue to produce smoke. A dense smoke advisory has been issued for Berkeley County on a day-by-day basis. There has been no evacuation orders since Sunday, but county emergency crews urge residents to be prepared for one if conditions change.

The U.S. Forest Service says 90 firefighters have responded, and the swampy areas of Francis Marion Nation Forest make this a challenging fire to fight. The public is asked not to fly drones over the fire, as that will interfere with operations.

Rain in the forecast is expected to help conditions.

Kristina Thacker joined the South Carolina Public Radio team in September of 2025. She is a multimedia journalist with experience in both on-air reporting and production.