A wildfire near Myrtle Beach exploded overnight, doubling in size as more than 170 fires ravaged the Carolinas on Sunday, forcing evacuations from the coast to the mountains. With fierce winds and bone-dry conditions fueling the inferno, officials warned residents to flee as towering flames devoured forests and crept dangerously close to homes.
The largest blaze—now a monstrous 1,200 acres—threatened Carolina Forest, a densely populated community west of Myrtle Beach. Firefighters, battling against the odds, struggled to contain the wildfire, which was at zero percent containment as of Sunday morning, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
Evacuations and chaos in the night
As night fell, chaos unfolded. Public safety workers went door-to-door, urging people to escape. Loudspeakers blared evacuation orders, cutting through the thick smoke. In the eerie glow of the encroaching fire, families scrambled to pack their belongings, while emergency sirens wailed in the distance.
“It was like something out of a nightmare,” said one evacuee. “We could see the flames coming—there was no time to think.”
Dramatic video captured Sunday morning showed firefighters standing their ground as walls of fire inched closer to homes. Miraculously, no injuries or destroyed buildings had been reported, officials said, but the situation remained dire.
About 50 evacuees sought refuge at a county recreation center as aircrafts—two planes and two helicopters—dropped water over the blazing landscape in a desperate bid to slow its advance.
State of emergency declared
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Sunday and vowed that a statewide burn ban would remain in effect indefinitely. The state fire marshal revealed that more than 175 wildfires were raging across South Carolina alone, consuming a staggering 4,200 acres.
In neighboring North Carolina, another menacing fire torched between 400 and 500 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains, endangering the towns of Tryon and Saluda. Emergency officials pinpointed the cause—a downed power line—but by the time firefighters arrived, the blaze had already raced up the mountain, forcing residents to flee.
A perfect storm of fire-friendly conditions
Meteorologists warned that the fires were supercharged by gusty winds, dry air, and unseasonably warm temperatures. With Myrtle Beach receiving just 2.3 inches of rain since January—less than half of its normal precipitation—vegetation had turned into kindling, primed for disaster.
The red-flag warning, issued by the National Weather Service, signaled extreme fire danger across the Southeast. While it expired late Saturday, officials cautioned that the crisis was far from over.
The Georgia Forestry Commission reported 137 wildfires in a single day, burning nearly 2,400 acres. Though conditions had slightly improved by Sunday, firefighters across the region remained on high alert.
With unpredictable winds and no significant rain in the forecast, the battle against the flames continues—leaving thousands wondering whether their homes will still be standing when the smoke finally clears.
