South Carolina declares emergency as wildfires spread across the Carolinas

# South Carolina declares emergency as wildfires spread across the Carolinas

More than 175 fires burned in South Carolina at one point and 10 active blazes remained across the Carolinas and Georgia on March 2, forcing evacuations around Myrtle Beach and elsewhere.

By NeoTechNews Desk

Event date: 2025-03-02

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on March 2 as wildfires burned across the Carolinas and Georgia, with more than 175 fires burning in South Carolina at one point, according to NBC News. By Monday, 10 active wildfires remained across the Carolinas and Georgia, and some residents were forced to flee their homes. The biggest focus was a fire near Myrtle Beach, where smoke, evacuations and water drops from military helicopters turned the Carolina Forest area into the centre of the regional emergency.

The Myrtle Beach blaze had burned 1,600 acres by Sunday night and was 30 percent contained, according to the state forestry commission. People in eight neighbourhoods were evacuated, and the Red Cross said about 135 residents were taking shelter in a county recreation centre. The South Carolina Army National Guard used two Black Hawk helicopters to drop water on the fire, and heavy smoke closed roads and reduced visibility. Officials said no injuries had been reported and no structures had been destroyed, but they also said personnel would remain on site until the fire was contained.

The danger was not limited to one county. Fires also affected more than 4,200 acres in Spartanburg, Union, Oconee and Pickens counties, while by Monday afternoon there were still five active fires in South Carolina, including blazes in Williamsburg County and Beaufort County. North Carolina still had four active fires, including the 176 Fire near Tryon, which had burned 481 acres and was 30 percent contained. The U.S. Forest Service said the fires in Croatan, Nantahala, Uwharrie and Pisgah national forests had burned nearly 500 acres total.

Weather conditions were a major reason the fires spread so fast. The governor’s office said unusually dry conditions and gusty winds had fueled the blazes, while the National Weather Service expected a cold front to bring rain by Tuesday. The U.S. Climate Prediction Center said moderate drought was expected to persist in much of the Carolinas and severe drought would continue in parts of North Carolina’s coast. Those conditions helped explain why the fire spread was so erratic, with flames that could jump suddenly when wind shifted.

The state’s fire officials said around 410 personnel and at least 128 fire apparatuses were deployed, and the South Carolina National Guard stepped in with aircraft. The response showed a full emergency posture, but it also showed how hard it can be to stop a fast-moving blaze in dry fuel, especially when multiple counties are burning at once. The Forestry Commission said the peak of the annual fire season had arrived, and the region’s conditions were exactly what firefighters feared.

The broader picture was one of a regional hazard, not a single wildfire. South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and even Tennessee all had active fires or recent burn scars, and the week’s weather pattern locked out rain and lowered humidity. That combination made the Carolinas feel less like a single local emergency and more like a stretched regional fire event.

McMaster said the emergency declaration would allow first responders to get resources quickly. On the ground, the immediate job was to keep homes standing, roads open where possible and evacuees safe while the weather slowly changed.