From Training To The Frontlines

Called To Serve

In March, the SCA’s Table Rock Fire Crew was called to active fire duty with the U.S. Forest Service in South Carolina to help battle some of the nearly 175 wildfires that had spread across the region.

SCA Table Rock Fire Crew working to extinguish a forest fire amidst charred woodland debris.

The SCA Table Rock Fire Crew clearing charred debris near Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo Credit: Liz Skelly, U.S. Forest Service)

Based in Clemson, the Table Rock fire crew began their season in January after completing vigorous wildland firefighter training. They then spent their first months in the field performing prescribed burns before heading out on their first active fire assignment.

Facing The Heat

An SCA Table Rock Fire Crew member in a yellow uniform and helmet, labeled with the U.S. Forest Service emblem, is holding a radio and a tool, standing near a controlled burn in a forest.

A member of the SCA Table Rock Fire Crew participates in a controlled burn. (Photo Credit: Liz Skelly, U.S. Forest Service)

“We’re seeing in real time the critical importance of wildland firefighting teams like the Table Rock crew. No more than two months after starting, they are protecting the very community where they are based this season,” said Lauryn Stalter, SCA Program Manager. “Working alongside the dedicated Forest Service mentors and partners, this team of eight is growing valuable skills that will only become more needed as we see fire seasons extend and intensify.”

Bonds Forged In Fire

The SCA 2025 Table Rock Fire Crew in yellow fire-resistant uniforms and helmets, smiling in a wooded area.

The SCA 2025 Table Rock Fire Crew with U.S. Forest Service Crew Supervisor, Liz Skelly. (Photo Credit: Liz Skelly, U.S. Forest Service)

When not responding to active fires, the crew works and travels throughout the Southern Region of the United States, gaining hands-on experience in prescribed fire, hazardous fuels reduction, and fire suppression under the supervision of Forest Service firefighters.

Two SCA Table Rock Fire Crew members in protective gear are looking at a smoky area with trees and sunlight filtering through the haze.

Two SCA Table Rock Fire Crew members on active duty near Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo Credit: Liz Skelly, U.S. Forest Service)

Funding Under Threat

This opportunity is made possible by funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Funding that was frozen by the federal government earlier this year. Without this funding, the SCA’s ability to provide these critical job opportunities, workforce training, and environmental stewardship could be in jeopardy.

A display of colorful thank-you cards, some featuring hand-drawn illustrations and messages, pinned to a wall, expressing gratitude to the wildland firefighters in South Carolina.

Thank you cards for the firefighters, hand-drawn by elementary school children in South Carolina. (Photo Credit: Liz Skelly, U.S. Forest Service)

Now more than ever, we need you by our side. Your support today can ensure that this essential work continues uninterrupted.