Brush fires ignited on Saturday in North and South Carolina, fueled by strong winds and dry conditions. Authorities ordered evacuations in several communities to ensure residents’ safety.
These fires started while much of the southeastern United States was under a red-flag warning, signaling a high fire risk. Most of these warnings ended late Saturday night, and conditions were expected to improve as winds calmed.
In the mountains, a significant fire threatened the towns of Tryon and Saluda, located about 40 miles south of Asheville, N.C. Polk County officials reported that fire departments were battling a blaze near Meadowlark Drive in Tryon, prompting evacuations. Tryon has around 1,500 residents, while Saluda has nearly 1,000.
The local social media updates indicated that the fire in Tryon was spreading quickly. Meanwhile, another fire on the South Carolina coast near Carolina Forest, west of Myrtle Beach, was about 75% contained by early evening, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Horry County Fire Rescue, the lead agency managing the firefighting efforts, confirmed that several neighborhoods had been evacuated.
A separate fire erupted near Six Mile, S.C., located about 30 miles west of Greenville. While officials recommended evacuations for certain streets, no formal orders were issued as of Saturday evening.
Factors like gusty winds, dry air, and temperatures in the low 70s contributed to the rapid spread of these fires. Additionally, South Carolina experienced unusually low rainfall in February. Myrtle Beach has received only 2.30 inches of rain since January 1, compared to the normal 6.30 inches expected by this time of year. North Carolina saw slightly more rain, but still below average.
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Wildfires,North Carolina,Fires and Firefighters,South Carolina,Weather,Wind
