BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – Berkeley County has officially entered moderate drought status as dry conditions persist across South Carolina, prompting concern from state officials over wildfire risk, declining streamflows and worsening groundwater levels.
The South Carolina Drought Response Committee met earlier this week to assess the ongoing drought, declaring that all 46 counties in the state are now experiencing some level of drought.
Berkeley is one of five coastal counties—including Charleston, Georgetown, Horry and Marion—upgraded to moderate drought, the third tier on the state’s five-level drought scale.
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The decision follows months of below-average rainfall, with some weather stations reporting less than 60% of normal precipitation totals between January and April. In Moncks Corner, for example, only 7.38 inches of rain have fallen this year—just 55% of the area’s average rainfall for that period.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission noted a sharp uptick in fire activity as a result of the dry conditions. So far this year, the state has recorded 1,418 wildfires—over 21% above the 10-year average. More strikingly, acreage burned has surged to 30,965 acres, nearly triple the typical annual figure.
Firefighters in Berkeley County extinguished two separate wood fires Thursday – one near North Creek Drive in Summerville and another along Old Arrowhead Road in Huger.
“Fire conditions are high due to the wind and low humidity. We encourage everyone to use extreme caution while burning,” county officials posted to social media in response to the fires.
Officials are continuing to monitor the situation and plan to reconvene on May 22.
