Table Rock Complex Wildfires Grow to Over 2,100 Acres; Voluntary Evacuations Continue in Pickens County

The South Carolina Forestry Commission, along with multiple cooperators (see below), is now managing what is called the Table Rock Complex. A complex is any large incident, in this case wildfires, involving two or more emergency response situations in the same vicinity. The Table Rock complex now consists of the Table Rock Fire in Pickens County and the Persimmon Ridge Fire in Greenville County.

Both fires saw significant growth today, owing to winds and the inaccessibility of the steep, mountainous areas to which firefighters can gain closer access.

The Table Rock Fire, which ignited Friday, has grown to more than 1,300 acres, although that estimate includes several hundred acres that were part of a burnout conducted by wildland firefighters to eliminate the fuels between evacuated residential areas and the many active wildfire fronts. The burnout, which remains in progress, is being deemed successful in removing said fuels.

The Persimmon Ridge Fire, which started in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area between Caesars Head State Park and Jones Gap State Park Saturday, has grown to more than 800 acres despite many dozens of water drops by SCFC and SLED aircraft.

Tomorrow at least six aircraft will be deployed for water-dropping missions to both fires, including one SCNG Chinook, two SCNG Black Hawks, one SLED helicopter and two SCFC single-engine air tanker Fire Bosses. Additional SCFC aircraft will be in service to provide surveillance and coordination between dispatch, ground personnel and command staff.

Voluntary evacuations of approximately 100 residences remain in effect just east of Table Rock State Park; no further evacuations are necessary at this time, although residents in the surrounding areas are advised to monitor local news and social media if conditions warrant.

More than 100 personnel from the South Carolina Forestry Commission, SC State Fire, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Greenville Water, the USDA Forest Service, SC Department of Natural Resources (DNR), SC Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Pickens County EMD and local fire departments continue working to contain the fire.

REMINDER: A statewide burning ban issued Friday at 6 p.m. remains in effect until further notice. 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.

FIRE BACKGROUND:

Table Rock Fire: Human-caused / March 21, 2025 / Table Rock State Park, 13 miles north of Pickens, S.C.

Persimmon Ridge Fire: Human-caused / March 22, 2025 / Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area

FIRE SIZE:

0% on Table Rock Fire, as of March 23, 2025

0% on Persimmon Ridge FIre, as of March 23, 2025

CONTAINMENT:

0% on Table Rock Fire

0% on Persimmon Ridge FIre

EVACUATIONS: Voluntary evacuations of approximately 100 residences remain in effect just east of Table Rock State Park; no further evacuations are necessary at this time, although residents in the surrounding areas are advised to monitor local news and social media if conditions warrant.

ESTIMATED COSTS TO DATE: N/A

FIRE CREWS/RESOURCES: More than 100 personnel from SCFC, SC State Fire, TNC, Greenville Water, the USDA Forest Service, DNR, SLED, Pickens County EMD and local FDs

INJURIES: No injuries have been reported.

STRUCTURES: No structures are imminently threatened at this time.

CLOSURES: Table Rock State Park and all trails are closed until further notice, as are all trails at Caesars Head and Jones Gap State Parks.

UPDATES: Updates will be provided only as new information becomes available.