HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Evacuation orders have been lifted after several wildfires broke out in the Carolina Forest in Horry County, South Carolina.
Dozens of people had checked into a Red Cross shelter as crews worked to contain the fires on Sunday. Along with Horry County’s massive wildfire, roughly 175 smaller wildfires had broken out across the state, impacting 4,200 acres of land, according to the state Fire Marshal.
By Sunday afternoon, all but two of the fires were 100% contained. The smaller of the two — the Blackthorn Drive Fire — is 80% contained, according to the South Carolina Forest Commission. It has covered about 800 acres.
The larger Covington Drive Fire, which has covered about 1,200 acres, remains uncontained, officials said.
Gov. Henry McMaster on Sunday declared a state of emergency to support South Carolina’s ongoing response. The order continues indefinitely an outdoor burning ban and makes it easier for responders to coordinate their efforts.
“This state of emergency ensures that our first responders, who are working tirelessly and risking their lives to protect our communities from these wildfires, have the resources they need,” McMaster said in a statement.
Dozens of fire agencies from across the Carolinas have joined local crews as they work against the sweeping wildfire.
Despite nearly 2,000 acres burning in Horry County, officials say nobody has been injured or killed, and no structures have been lost, State Rep. Tim McGinnis, R-Myrtle Beach, said in a Facebook post.
Around 11:50 p.m. Saturday, officials announced evacuations for the Indigo Bay, the Farm, and Summerlyn neighborhoods of Carolina Forest. Earlier Saturday evening, evacuation orders were lifted in some areas even as flames were visible on the horizon.
By 7:30 p.m., residents of Tuckahoe Road and Wyandot Court were cleared to return home, although several other neighborhoods remained under evacuation as the 100-acre blaze shut down International Drive to Highway 90.
Horry County spokeswoman Mikayla Moskov said about 20 people were sheltering at the Carolina Forest Recreation Center, while smoke and odor from the fire were observed more than 15 miles away.
Several local businesses also offered services, including free boarding VCA Palmetto Animal Hospital and discounted rates from lodging group Visit Myrtle Beach, which said Saturday displaced residents were eligible for $49 nightly rates through March 6 at Hotel Blue and Landmark Resort.
Participants must provide proof of residence within Carolina Forest and call (866) 951-6806 to make reservations.
Horry County officials also asked people to keep 911 lines open so people facing immediate risk can quickly connect with emergency response services.
That agency, along with the state Department of Natural Resources, North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue, Horry County Fire Rescue and Horry County police were among those that responded.
Kershaw County Fire Service personnel left the Midlands to assist Horry County through a mutual aid agreement.
In North Carolina, the U.S. 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, was at Uwharrie National Forest, about 50 miles east of Charlotte.
The small southwestern town of Tryon in Polk County, North Carolina, urged some residents to evacuate Saturday as a fire spread rapidly there. On Sunday, officials said those evacuations remained in effect.
That fire was burning about 400 acres on Sunday afternoon, with zero percent containment, according to the Polk County Emergency Management/Fire Marshal’s office. The North Carolina Forest Service was conducting helicopter water drops and back-burning operations on the ground, and area residents should expect a lot of smoke during those operations, officials said.
Officials have not said what caused any of the fires.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
