South Carolina S 456: Forestry Commission

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 456 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 13, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 456

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A senate RESOLUTION

to RECOGNIZE THE SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY COMMISSION 
FOR THE CRUCIAL ROLE THEY PLAY IN PREVENTING WILDFIRES, SAFEGUARDING 
COMMUNITIES, PROTECTING WILDLIFE HABITATS, AND MAINTAINING HEALTHY FOREST ECOSYSTEMS 
ACROSS THE STATE, AND TO APPLAUD THEIR RESPONSE TO THE CAROLINA FOREST 
WILDFIRES, WHICH ULTIMATELY PREVENTED DAMAGE TO CITIZENS, HOMES, BUSINESSES, 
AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN HORRY COUNTY.

Whereas, the South 
Carolina Forestry Commission (SCFC) has long served as a critical agency in 
protecting, managing, and preserving the State's forest resources, ensuring 
that they continue to provide ecological, economic, and social benefits to the 
citizens of South Carolina; and

Whereas, South 
Carolina's forests are vital to the State's environment, economy, and quality 
of life, supporting thousands of jobs, enhancing biodiversity, and contributing 
to the State's natural beauty and air quality; and

Whereas, the SCFC plays 
a key role in forest fire prevention, protection, and response, working 
alongside State and local partners to safeguard communities, protect wildlife 
habitats, and maintain healthy forest ecosystems across the State; and

Whereas, the SCFC's 
fire prevention programs, including public education efforts, prescribed 
burning practices, and forest management services, help reduce the risk of 
wildfires and minimize the impact of fire on both the natural landscape and 
surrounding communities; and

Whereas, South 
Carolina's forests are increasingly vulnerable to wildfires due to weather 
conditions, climate change, and human activity, making the work of the SCFC and 
its partners more important than ever in the effort to reduce fire risks and 
ensure the safety of citizens across the State; and

Whereas, the SCFC's 
fire suppression teams, composed of trained firefighters and equipment, are at 
the forefront of responding to wildfires, acting quickly and effectively to 
contain and extinguish fires and thus preventing damage to homes, businesses, 
and critical infrastructure; and

Whereas, more than two 
thousand acres in Horry County were impacted by severe wildfires beginning on 
Saturday, March 1, 2025. The SCFC played an instrumental role in containing the 
fires to protect Horry County citizens, homes, and businesses. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize the South 
Carolina Forestry Commission (SCFC) for the crucial role they play in 
preventing wildfires, safeguarding communities, protecting wildlife habitats, 
and maintaining healthy forest ecosystems across the State, and applaud the 
SCFC's fire suppression teams for their response to the Carolina Forest 
wildfires, which ultimately prevented damage to citizens, homes, businesses, 
and critical infrastructure in Horry County.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution 
be presented to the chair of the South Carolina Forestry Commission, Dr. Walter 
McPhail.

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This web page was last updated on March 13, 2025 at 11:42 AM