Lighter winds on Monday provided some relief to firefighters in South Carolina and North Carolina as they battled wildfires that led to evacuations and posed a threat to hundreds of homes over the weekend.
In Horry County near Myrtle Beach, a massive blaze was successfully contained by hundreds of firefighters from across the state. Despite social media videos showing orange skies and flames engulfing pine trees, no homes were destroyed in this incident.
This fire marked the largest in the area since a 2009 wildfire that caused $42 million in damage and destroyed approximately 75 homes.
Although the immediate danger lessened on Monday, officials in South Carolina issued a ban on almost all outdoor fires, including burning yard debris and campfires. Residents were urged to report any outdoor fires by calling 911, with Governor Henry McMaster emphasizing the consequences of starting fires outdoors in the state.
Similarly, burn bans were in effect in western North Carolina, where some residents in Polk County remained evacuated from their homes. Fire crews were working to contain a 480-acre fire by setting controlled burns to eliminate potential wildfire fuel.
The North Carolina Forest Service reported over 200 wildfires across the state on Monday, with most of them being small and not posing a threat to structures.
The dry winter conditions in the Carolinas, combined with high winds over the weekend due to a rainless cold front passing through the region, heightened the risk of wildfires.
The area near Myrtle Beach is particularly susceptible to wildfires due to centuries of decomposing vegetation creating peat, which can burn for extended periods when dry. The presence of pine trees and other flammable vegetation further exacerbates the fire risk in dry and windy conditions.
Horry County has experienced significant population growth over the past 25 years, with many newcomers settling in neighborhoods near the oval Carolina Bays where peat and flammable vegetation naturally coexist. Fires have been a recurring feature of the bays' landscape for centuries.
Authorities have not yet determined the causes of the recent wildfires in the region.
