Firefighters are facing challenging conditions as they battle wildfires raging through parts of the Carolinas, prompting evacuations and raising concerns for residents.
The Carolina Forest Fire, located north of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has rapidly expanded to 1,200 acres and remains uncontained, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. A statewide burn ban has been issued as multiple wildfires continue to burn across the state, with some now under control.
The fire risk persists in the region, with areas near Wilmington, North Carolina, and Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina, being warned by the National Weather Service.
In western North Carolina, near Tryon and Saluda, a brush fire ignited by a fallen power line along US Highway 176 has spread rapidly up a nearby mountain, threatening structures. The fire has grown to 400 acres with no containment as multiple fire departments respond to the scene.
Residents in affected areas have been evacuated as fire crews work to protect homes and mitigate the spread of the wildfires. A passenger flying into Myrtle Beach captured footage of the smoke and flames from the air, highlighting the intensity of the situation.
Despite calmer winds and cooler temperatures on Sunday, the combination of dry air and vegetation due to limited rainfall continues to pose a high wildfire risk across the Carolinas and northeast Georgia. Winds are expected to decrease significantly overnight, with temperatures nearing freezing by Monday morning.
As winds lighten and temperatures rise towards 60 degrees, accompanied by more humid air, the wildfire threat is expected to gradually diminish through Tuesday.
