The Charleston Fire Department responded to a kudzu fire near South Franklin Street Thursday morning.
The fire appeared to be approaching the backyards of several residences but was ultimately extinguished before it became an imminent threat to those structures.
Charleston firefighter Jimmy Bynum drove the Charleston pumper truck and was assisted at the scene by Spring Hill firefighter John Ball Burnett.
Several residents of nearby homes, watching the firefighting effort, said they believed someone had deliberately set the fire as a means of clearing out the kudzu and underbrush.
The city of Charleston has not seen appreciable rainfall during August, and the extremely hot and dry conditions have created a ripe environment for fast-moving fires.
