Crews battled wildfires in North and South Carolina on Sunday amid dry conditions and gusty winds as residents were forced to evacuate in some areas.
The National Weather Service warned of increased fire danger in the region due to a combination of critically dry fuels and very low relative humidity.
In South Carolina, where more than 175 fires burned 6.6 square miles, Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on Sunday to support the wildfire response effort, and a statewide burning ban remained in effect.
Crews made progress containing a fire in the Carolina Forest area west of the coastal resort city of Myrtle Beach, where residents had been ordered to evacuate several neighborhoods, according to Horry County Fire Rescue. Video showed some people running down the street as smoke filled the sky. But by late Sunday afternoon, the fire department announced that Carolina Forest evacuees could return home.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission estimated Sunday evening that the blaze had burned 2.5 square miles (6.5 square kilometers) with 30 percent of it contained. No structures had succumbed to the blaze and no injuries had been reported as of Sunday morning, officials said.
In North Carolina, the U.S. Forest Service said fire crews were working to contain multiple wildfires burning in four forests across the state on Sunday. The largest, about 400 acres, was at Uwharrie National Forest, about 50 miles east of Charlotte. The Forest Service said Sunday afternoon that it had made progress on the fire, reaching about one-third containment.
The small southwestern town of Tryon in Polk County, North Carolina, urged some residents to evacuate Saturday as a fire spread rapidly there. The evacuations remained in effect Sunday. A decision on whether to lift them was expected to be made Monday after intentional burns are set to try to stop the fire from spreading.
That fire has burned about 500 acres as of late Sunday, with zero percent containment, according to the Polk County Emergency Management/Fire Marshal's office. The North Carolina Forest Service was conducting water drops and back-burning operations on the ground, and area residents should expect a lot of smoke during those operations, officials said.
The U.S. Forest Service lists more than 250 fires in North Carolina over the weekend, amid dry and windy conditions.
A fire in the Croatan National Forest burned more than 100 acres in Carteret County, according to Newport Fire Department. It is 100% contained.
A fire near River Road in Craven County started Saturday morning and affected over 80 acres. It’s also contained. The forest service also confirmed a fire on Bryant Newkirk Road in Duplin County that started Friday evening is 100% contained.
Fires were also reported on Highway 17 near Bear Grass Road in Martin County and Jupiter Trail in Onslow County.
