Asbury Hills safe, ‘grateful’ after 15K acres burn around property

By Jessica Brodie

CLEVELAND—Wildfires near Table Rock State Park in Pickens County prompted a mandatory evacuation of Asbury Hills, the much-beloved Upstate camp of the South Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church.

The Table Rock and Persimmon Ridge fires burned more than 15,000 acres in Greenville and Pickens counties and part of North Carolina before rain and active firefighting contained the blaze. Forestry officials said the fire started March 21 after four teens failed to extinguish cigarettes properly while hiking in Table Rock State Park. 

Conference Camps and Retreat Ministries Director Arthur Spriggs said 90 firefighters stayed at Asbury Hills while working to extinguish the flames. However, the camp is now safe, and all staff were able to return to Asbury Hills.

Only the back 500 acres of the camp’s property burned—wilderness areas only—and all camp program areas were unharmed.

“We saw how close we could come to losing our beloved camp, and we are thankful for God’s provision and hold our mountains and all of you near to our hearts,” Spriggs said in a release emailed to Camps & Retreat Ministry supporters and friends. “We are beyond grateful for the work of the first responders who protected Asbury Hills and for the answered prayers of rain.”

Crews worked hard to push the fire along the northwest edges of the property, working tirelessly to combat the blaze and ensure everyone’s safety.

Trails were closed in Asbury Hills as well as Table Rock, Caesars Head, Jones Gap and other impacted areas, and a mandatory statewide burn ban was put in place. Smoke also caused poor air quality, prompting officials to issue a “code purple” alert to be issued for Transylvania County, north of the camp in North Carolina.

As of April 9, all evacuations have been lifted and trails reopened.