(TheIndependentStar.com) – Devastating wildfires are forcing thousands of Americans from their homes across the Carolinas as government agencies do their best to contain the rapidly spreading blazes and save lives.
Watch the video down below.
“Our first responders and firefighters are risking their lives to contain many fires across South Carolina tonight,” said South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, highlighting the dangerous conditions facing those on the frontlines.
Local fire departments and state agencies are battling fires that have already consumed over 1,200 acres in South Carolina’s Carolina Forest area near Myrtle Beach and 400 acres in North Carolina’s Polk County as dry conditions persist.
In North Carolina, a downed power line on US Highway 176 sparked a wildfire that quickly spread to at least 400 acres between the small towns of Tryon and Saluda, located about 40 miles south of Asheville.
Emergency officials ordered mandatory evacuations for all residents along this highway corridor as flames threatened multiple structures in the area.
The situation in South Carolina is equally dire, with seven neighborhoods in the Carolina Forest region near Myrtle Beach under evacuation orders.
Communities including Spring Lake and Waterford have been cleared as the wildfire has grown to approximately 1,200 acres with no timeline for when residents might return to their homes.
Over 50 American families have been forced to seek refuge at a Red Cross shelter established at the Carolina Forest Recreation Center.
The massive evacuation effort began as fire officials realized the severity of the threat, ordering residents to immediately abandon their homes and properties with little notice to gather belongings.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission has issued a statewide burn ban after reporting over 100 separate fire ignitions across the state.
Multiple fire agencies from across both Carolinas have been called in to assist with containment efforts, including departments from Williamsburg County, North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, Conway, and Dillon County.
State Representative Tim McGinnis from Myrtle Beach confirmed that officials are deploying significant aerial resources to combat the fires.
He said, “Forestry officials told him Blackhawk helicopters are among the aircraft coming in,” along with planes and tractors to help establish control lines and contain the spreading flames.
The National Weather Service had previously issued a red flag warning for the affected areas.
Still, the dangerous combination of “dry fuel and low relative humidity” continues to hamper firefighting efforts.
Local officials are closely monitoring weather forecasts, hoping for conditions that might finally allow crews to gain the upper hand against these destructive blazes.
“Horry County is monitoring the weather forecast and preparing to adjust course in our life safety and property protection plan should conditions evolve,” stated Horry County Fire Rescue.
In North Carolina’s Polk County, Saluda Fire and Rescue warned:
“Residents can expect a heavy fire department presence in the Bear Creek, Hanging Rock, Rhododendron Dr., Oceanview Dr., and Meadow Lark Dr. areas as crews work to protect homes and reduce fire fuels.”
Additional fires have also been reported in Buncombe County, further stretching emergency resources across the region.
This video shows how close the wildfire came to homes in the Walkers Woods neighborhood of Carolina Forest early Sunday morning. Crews were able to keep the fire from reaching homes. Video courtesy of Greg Staff. pic.twitter.com/JufjnwaSPI
— My Horry News (@MyHorryNews) March 2, 2025
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