The South Carolina Forestry Commission charged three hikers with negligently allowing a fire to spread, blaming the spark on a cigarette.
Nyzaire Marsh, 19, and Tristan Taylor and Isaac Wilson, both 18, were charged Tuesday, more than a week after forestry crews discovered the fire while searching for missing hikers.
A juvenile was also charged with the same offense, but was not booked and was released to parental custody.
In a statement, the Forestry Commission said the teens were questioned about the fire during the rescue mission on March 21, when crews were searching for missing hikers in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They said that the suspects had been smoking and had not properly extinguished their cigarettes.
The spark eventually grew to a blaze that’s consumed more than 13,000 acres at Table Rock Mountain. That's the largest wildfire in the Upstate's history. As of Tuesday night, the fire was 30% contained.
A separate fire is also still burning at nearby Persimmon Ridge. That fire has so far consumed more than 2,000 acres and is 74% contained.
Correction: The original story cited the Table Rock Mountain fire as the largest in South Carolina's history.
