Three teenagers are accused of starting a massive fire in a South Carolina state park by failing to extinguish cigarettes while hiking, according to officials.
The teenagers, Nyzaire Jah-Neiz Marsh, 19, Tristan Tyler, 18, and Isaac Wilson, 18, were arrested Tuesday on charges related to the origin of the Table Rock Fire, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
The teenagers were among several hikers evacuated from Table Rock State Park in Pickens County on March 21 after first responders discovered a rapidly spreading wildfire while searching for a missing hiker, according to the commission.
They were questioned about the fire’s origin, and investigators “obtained evidence that they allege identified these subjects as suspects in the origin of the Table Rock State Park fire,” according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
According to the arrest warrant affidavits, “the suspects took part in smoking activities on a hiking trail at the state park and did not extinguish their cigarettes in a proper and safe manner, which officials allege led to the ignition of the Table Rock Fire,” the South Carolina Forestry Commission stated.
The three teenagers are each charged with one count of negligently allowing fire to spread to another person’s land or property, a misdemeanor, according to the commission. They were arrested and released on a $7,500 bond. There was no attorney information listed in their online court records.
If convicted, they could face up to 30 days in jail and a $200 fine.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 3 UPSTATE TEENS ARRESTED ON CHARGES RELATED TO TABLE ROCK FIRE
PICKENS COUNTY, S.C.—South Carolina Forestry Commission law enforcement officials have arrested three individuals on charges related to the origin of the now-13,000+ acre Table Rock Fire… pic.twitter.com/cLvdbAlZsO
— South Carolina Forestry Commission (@ForestryCommish) April 1, 2025
A fourth suspect, a juvenile, was charged with one count of the same offense and released to his parents’ custody, according to the commission.
The Table Rock Fire has burned more than 13,000 acres in South Carolina and North Carolina since it began on March 21, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission on Tuesday. It was 30% contained as of Tuesday morning.
On Thursday, over 1,400 homes and businesses were evacuated due to a fire that required the assistance of firefighters from multiple states.
On March 21, the South Carolina Forestry Commission issued a burning ban for all counties in response to the increased wildfire risk.
The following day, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency to aid in the response to the Table Rock Fire.
