TRYON, N.C. – Brush fires fueled by dry and windy conditions prompted officials in both North and South Carolina to issue evacuation orders on Saturday. In North Carolina’s Polk County, a fire spanning at least 400 acres remained uncontained, according to Jeremy Waldrop of the North Carolina Fire Service. Waldrop expressed concern for structures in the path of the fire and stated that damage assessment would be carried out on Sunday morning. Evacuations were announced in a Facebook post by Polk County for residents along U.S. Highway 176 between Tryon and Saluda, with officials cautioning about the rapid spread of the fire. The towns of Tryon and Saluda have populations of around 1,500 and under 1,000 respectively, situated approximately 40 miles south of Asheville.
In South Carolina, Horry County Fire Rescue evacuated residents from several neighborhoods in the Carolina Forest, located about 10 miles west of Myrtle Beach, due to a wildfire. The extent of the fire in terms of burned acreage and containment remained unspecified at the time. Horry County Fire Rescue indicated in a social media post their vigilance in monitoring the weather forecast and readiness to adapt their safety and property protection measures as needed. South Carolina state Representative Tim McGinnis disclosed plans for two planes and a Blackhawk helicopter to drop water on the fire the following morning, with additional support from tractors to establish containment lines around the blaze. As a response to over 100 reported ignitions on Saturday, the South Carolina Forestry Commission imposed a statewide burn ban for all counties.
The National Weather Service’s red flag warning for critical fire weather conditions in western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina expired late Saturday night. Red flag warnings alert to the occurrence or approach of hazardous fire weather conditions. The situation underscores the urgency for coordinated efforts to combat the brush fires and safeguard affected communities in both states.