Cloud of smoke over Bluffton came from nearby Jasper County, fire officials say
Led by an eastern wind, a cloud of hazy, sometimes smelly smoke wafted over parts of the Bluffton area on Monday. It originated from three controlled burns in the neighboring Jasper County, local fire officials said.
Residents reported the presence and smell of smoke in the areas of Palmetto Bluff, New Riverside and S.C. 170 (Okatie Highway), according to the Bluffton Township Fire District.
Fire officials said the smoke is coming from three prescribed burns in Jasper County:
- A 720-acre prescribed burn slightly north of Hardeeville
- A 60-acre prescribed burn off Glasgow Landing Road (about 5 miles southwest of Palmetto Bluff)
- A 1-acre debris burn in southern Hardeeville
Usually in the late winter and early spring, foresters conduct controlled burns to reduce the risk of wildfire, according to the South Carolina Fire Commission. The practice is also said to have ecological benefits: Fire can make wildlife’s travel easier by removing thick undergrowth in certain forested areas, and it can promote growth of plants like legumes and hardwood sprouts, the commission says.
On the SCFC’s map of current active burns across the state, the 720-acre and 60-acre fires near Beaufort County were categorized as “wildlife management” burns.
As of Monday afternoon, there were 64 total active burns in South Carolina, with the majority intended for wildlife management and the reduction of future wildfires.
This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 5:22 PM.