Fire officials on Sunday were battling to contain the blazes ravaging North and South Carolina, which have forced evacuations in some areas.
The emergency unfolded amid warnings throughout the south-east over dry and windy conditions that exacerbate wildfires.
In North Carolina, the National Forest Service said fire crews were working to contain multiple wildfires burning on more than 400 acres in four forests across the state on Sunday. The largest, about 300 acres (162 hectares), was at Uwharrie national forest, about 50 miles (80km) east of Charlotte.
In Polk county, North Carolina, officials set up an emergency shelter as a brush fire encompassing 400 to 500 acres swept an area between the communities of Tryon and Saluda, about 40 miles south of Asheville.
A social media post from Saluda’s fire department said a downed powerline on US highway 176 caused a brush fire that “rapidly spread up the mountain, threatening multiple structures”. Tryon’s and Saluda’s fire departments both led efforts to fight the blaze, with personnel from the North Carolina forest service as well as Polk, Henderson, Rutherford, Buncombe and Spartanburg counties providing assistance, the post said.
The fire had zero containment as of Saturday night.
In South Carolina, a brush fire was reported just west of Myrtle Beach in Carolina Forest. Horry county rescue fire reported ongoing evacuations due to the fire on early Sunday morning.
The South Carolina forestry commission estimated Sunday afternoon that the blaze was burning about 1.9 sq miles (4.9 sq km) with 0% containment. No structures had succumbed to the blaze and no injuries had been reported as of Sunday morning, officials said.
A resident’s dramatic video of orange flames threatening Carolina Forest homes in Myrtle Beach was posted on Instagram on Sunday by Ed Piotrowski, chief meteorologist for the local ABC News affiliate WPDE.
The South Carolina governor, Henry McMaster, declared a state of emergency on Sunday to support the wildfire response effort, and a statewide burning ban remained in effect.
“Our first responders and firefighters are risking their lives to contain many fires across South Carolina tonight,” McMaster said.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
