Bowman Fire Department

05/25/2026

🇺🇸 🙏 This , we honor the brave men and women who gave their lives for our country.

Their sacrifice secured the freedoms we enjoy today – and it will never be forgotten.

05/20/2026

Some behind-the-scenes photos from our water shuttle training tonight in Providence 🚒

05/14/2026

Congratulations to Bubba Logan for being named Bowman Fire Department’s new Assistant Chief! Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the department.

05/04/2026

Thank you to the fire fighters on our department who volunteer their time to help others in need! We appreciate you & are thankful for your dedication.

🔥

Recognizing the work fire fighters do every day – on the fire ground and in their communities.

04/30/2026

SCFC to lift burning ban for 7 more counties Thursday

COLUMBIA—The South Carolina Forestry Commission will lift the State Forester's Burning Ban for an additional seven counties, effective at 7 a.m., Thursday, April 30.

Agency officials believe the combination of rain and elevated relative humidity stretching from the Midlands to the Upstate warrant removing Edgefield, Fairfield, Newberry, Lexington, McCormick, Richland and Saluda counties from outdoor burning restrictions.

Twenty-seven counties remain subject to the ban, however, highlighting the elevated fire danger that remains in a majority of the state (see map at right).

“We’re seeing relative humidities increase across the state each day as well as good RH recovery overnight, which raises the moisture level in finer forest fuels,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “Sustained winds and gusts are lower too, and the prospect of even more rain across greater portions of the state over the next week could help us get out of what has been an extended period of fire danger this year.”

Citizens who may plan to conduct outdoor burning of residential yard debris or prescribed burns in counties not subject to the burning ban must still notify the Forestry Commission before doing so:

Residential yard debris burning
State law requires citizens who live in unincorporated areas to notify the Forestry Commission before burning outdoors. In most cases, the law applies to burning leaves, limbs and branches that people clean up from their yards. Citizens who do live in city/town limits must still abide by any burning ordinances in their local jurisdictions.
Citizens can make notification online by visiting scfc.gov/notify or by calling the toll-free notification number for the county in which they live, found here: scfc.gov/protection/fire-burning/how-to-notify/.

Prescribed burning
State law requires that you notify the Forestry Commission before burning for forestry, wildlife management or agricultural purposes. This includes burning for wildfire hazard reduction, brush control, endangered species management, wildlife habitat improvement, plant disease control, crop residue removal and preparation of land for planting trees or agricultural crops. All burning for forestry, wildlife and agriculture must comply with SC Smoke Management Guidelines. To make notification, regardless of county, please call (800) 777-3473.

Shareable release:https://www.scfc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Advisory-BurningBanToBeLiftedForPiedmontCounties-20260429.pdf

04/28/2026

04/24/2026

The burn ban is still in place across South Carolina.
Dry conditions, gusty winds, and low humidity continue to fuel a high wildfire risk statewide. The South Carolina Forestry Commission has issued a State Forester’s Burning Ban until further notice.
This ban means no outdoor burning in unincorporated areas. That includes yard debris, prescribed burns, campfires, bonfires, and any recreational fires.

04/18/2026

🚨 Statewide Burning Ban in Effect Starting Today 🚨
The South Carolina Forestry Commission has issued a State Forester’s Burning Ban for all counties, effective at 7 a.m. Friday, April 17 until further notice. This prohibits all outdoor burning.

03/24/2026

SC Forestry Commission issuing statewide Red Flag Fire Alert, effective immediately

COLUMBIA—The South Carolina Forestry Commission is issuing a statewide Red Flag Fire Alert, effective immediately until further notice.

The alert is being issued to strongly discourage people from burning outdoors when weather conditions present an elevated risk of wildfire. In addition to drought intensifying from a lack of significant rainfall, forecasts are calling for higher winds, low humidities and no precipitation in the foreseeable future.

A Red Flag Fire Alert does not prohibit outdoor burning, provided that all other state and local regulations are followed, but the Forestry Commission uses the alert to strongly encourage citizens to voluntarily postpone any such burning until the alert is lifted. Because current weather conditions are very conducive to fires escaping easily and spreading rapidly, anyone considering outdoor burning should take extra precautions if they still choose to burn under a Red Flag.

“The combination of dangerous conditions and dry fuels we’re going to see statewide for the next several days all add up to an elevated wildfire risk, and any fire that ignites is likely to burn intensely and spread rapidly,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “With this alert, we’re asking people to respect the weather and hold off from burning outdoors until the weather improves. If you have burned recently, we encourage you to monitor the burn area to make sure the dry conditions don’t cause it to rekindle.”

Adding to the danger, particularly in the western part of the state, are the heavy fuel loads that remain in our forests from Hurricane Helene. Not only can these downed, drying trees and other fuels act as kindling, increasing the risk of wildfire ignition and spread, but they also are likely to impede firefighters’ access, adversely impacting response capability.

Although a Red Flag Fire Alert does not ban outdoor burning, it does trigger certain county or local ordinances that restrict outdoor fires, so residents should contact their local fire departments to check whether such restrictions apply in their areas. The alert will remain in effect until lifted by the Commission, whose fire managers will continuously monitor the situation.

Shareable link:https://www.scfc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Advisory-RedFlagFireAlert-260324.pdf

03/12/2026

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
941 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026

The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Central Fairfield County in central South Carolina...
Southwestern Lancaster County in central South Carolina...
Northwestern Calhoun County in central South Carolina...
Northeastern Barnwell County in central South Carolina...
Northwestern Bamberg County in central South Carolina...
Lexington County in central South Carolina...
Central Aiken County in central South Carolina...
Northwestern Orangeburg County in central South Carolina...
Richland County in central South Carolina...
Kershaw County in central South Carolina...

* Until 1030 AM EDT.

* At 941 AM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from near Great Falls to 10 miles southwest of Red Bank
to near Savannah River Site, moving east at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect damage to trees and powerlines.

* Locations impacted include...
Columbia, Lexington, West Columbia, Cayce, Irmo, Forest Acres,
Camden, Bamberg, Winnsboro, Denmark, Springdale, Dentsville, Oak Grove, Lake Wateree Dam, St. Andrews, McEntire Air Base, Highway 6 at Lake Murray Dam, Red Bank, Williston, and Blackville.

This includes the following highways...
Interstate 126 between mile markers 0 and 3.
Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 35 and 98.
Interstate 26 between mile markers 94 and 142.
Interstate 77 between mile markers 0 and 51.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain alert for a possible tornado! Tornadoes can develop quickly
from severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado go at once into the basement or small central room in a sturdy structure.

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.

Severe thunderstorms can produce large capsizing waves and frequent lightning. If on or near Lake Murray move away from the water and take shelter!

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 PM EDT for central South Carolina.