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Firefighters battled over 170 blazes across North and South Carolina over the weekend as dry conditions and strong winds fuelled fast-moving wildfires, prompting evacuations and emergency declarations.
In South Carolina, more than 175 fires have scorched 6.6sqm (17sqkm), forcing Governor Henry McMaster to declare a state of emergency on Sunday. The order aims to bolster wildfire response efforts and ensure adequate resources for firefighters. A statewide burning ban also remains in effect.
Follow our live coverage of wildfires.
One of the largest fires erupted in the Carolina Forest area, just west of Myrtle Beach. The blaze, which started Saturday, rapidly expanded to 1,600 acres, doubling in size overnight. By Sunday evening, it was 30 per cent contained, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
Authorities lifted evacuation orders for seven neighbourhoods in Carolina Forest late on Sunday.
Video footage showed residents fleeing as thick smoke filled the sky, while firefighters worked to keep the flames from reaching homes. Despite the fire’s intensity, no injuries or structural losses have been reported.
The Covington Lane wildfire, part of the Carolina Forest fires, grew to over 1,600 acres by Sunday evening. Officials said it continued to pose challenges near the Walkers Woods subdivision, where containment efforts were most difficult. Meanwhile, the smaller Blackthorn Drive Fire, which burned a separate area within Carolina Forest, was fully contained.
Map from fire department shows all the fires reported in Carolina with blazes marked by red still uncontrolled (Screengrab/North Carolina Forest Fire)
Law enforcement checkpoints remain in place to restrict non-residents from entering affected areas. The Red Cross has kept its shelter at the Carolina Forest Recreation Center open overnight for displaced residents.
In North Carolina, the US Forest Service reported multiple wildfires burning across four national forests. The largest, in Uwharrie National Forest, located about 50 miles (80km) east of Charlotte, had burned approximately 400 acres (162 hectares) as of Sunday. Firefighters managed to contain about one-third of the blaze by the afternoon.
Further west, in Polk County, a brush fire near the town of Tryon threatened communities in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The fire had consumed between 400 and 500 acres with zero containment as of Sunday evening, forcing evacuations that remained in effect overnight. Fire officials plan to use controlled burns on Monday to slow its spread before deciding whether to lift evacuation orders.
The North Carolina Forest Service has deployed aircraft for water drops and back-burning operations. Officials warn that residents near affected areas should expect heavy smoke as containment efforts continue.
A helicopter drops water to help contain a fire in the Carolina Forest area west of the coastal resort city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 2025, where residents were ordered to evacuate several neighbourhoods (AP)
The National Weather Service issued warnings for elevated fire risk across the region, citing critically dry vegetation and low humidity as key factors fuelling the blazes. Gusty winds have further complicated containment efforts.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of any of the wildfires. Fire officials continue to urge residents to follow evacuation orders and avoid unnecessary travel in affected regions.
Despite nearly 2,000 acres burning in Horry County alone, officials report no injuries or fatalities. State Representative Tim McGinnis said emergency response teams are working aggressively to prevent structural losses, particularly near the Walkers Woods subdivision, where flames have posed the greatest challenge.
With firefighting efforts ongoing and weather conditions remaining unfavourable, officials warn that the wildfire threat across the Carolinas is far from over.
