NEWS

Brush fire shuts down I-20, forces evacuations

Jozsef Papp,Sarah LeBlanc
jpapp@augustachronicle.com
A large brush fire caused evacuations and closed both lanes of Interstate 20 in Aiken County on Tuesday from Exit 11 to 18. [Aiken County Sheriff’s Office]

A brush fire on Interstate 20 blocked lanes in both directions in Aiken County on Tuesday.

The fire blocked all lanes from Exit 11 to Exit 18, the South Carolina Department of Transportation said. Those living within a one-mile radius from Old Graniteville Highway around Good Springs and Rebel Roads were advised to evacuate, according to the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

Forty homes were evacuated. No structures had been lost and no injuries due to the fire had been reported as of Tuesday evening, Aiken County Sheriff Michael Hunt said.

The fire began around 2:15 p.m. and was initially reported between the 14- and 15-mile markers on I-20 East. Units from the GVW Fire Department responded, and multiple fire units responded at the request of the GVW as the fire rapidly spread.

Multiple fire departments are battling the fire, and 51 percent of the blaze was contained as of 7:30 p.m., Hunt said. He estimated it spanned about seven miles.

Responding fire departments in addition to GVW are from Sage Mill, Langley, Belvedere, Aiken Department of Public Safety, Merriwether, County Line, Eureka, SC Forestry Commission, and USDA Forest Service.

Responding law enforcement agencies include the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, Aiken Department of Public Safety, Lexington County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Highway Patrol, Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office, Aiken County Code Enforcement and North Augusta Department of Public Safety.

Detours included I-20 East to I-520 to U.S. 1 North in North Augusta, and U.S. 1 to S.C. 118 (Rudy Mason Parkway) to U.S. 1 North (York Ave) to I-20 East (Exit 22).

The American Red Cross opened a shelter for evacuees at the First Baptist Church in Aiken at 8 p.m. and provided food and hydration, according to an agency news release.

Those who evacuated were told they could return to their homes around 9:30 p.m. However, the sheriff's office warned residents to be aware of smoke in the area.

“We are in constant communication with local Emergency Management to make sure the needs of anyone needing to evacuate are met,” said Louise Welch Williams, Regional Red Cross CEO.

The National Weather Service in Columbia warned in an alert Tuesday that hot and dry temperatures combined with low humidity and wind could provide enhanced fire danger. The cause of the fire is not yet known, but Hunt said that heat and dry conditions were a factor.