Dozens of wildfires raged across North and South Carolina on Sunday, prompting officials to issue evacuation orders and open emergency shelters as both states and much of the Eastern Seaboard contended with dry conditions and gusty winds.
In South Carolina, 175 wildfires burned across the state, scorching over 4,200 acres of land and straining firefighting resources, according to the state fire marshal's office. Response operations were ongoing in various areas, including Horry, Spartanburg, Union, Oconee, and Pickens counties.
The largest of the brush fires erupted Saturday in Carolina Forest, a community west of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The fire exploded in size overnight, forcing residents in at least a half dozen neighborhoods to flee their homes, officials said.
By 5:30 p.m. local time Sunday, the fire grew to more than 1,600 acres and was 30% contained, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
Dramatic videos show the inferno nearing homes as flames whipped furiously, sending stacks of smoke into the air. Officials said no structures have been destroyed and no injuries have been reported.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued a state of emergency Sunday to unlock funds and resources for the ongoing response effort. A statewide ban on outdoor fires remains in effect, he said.
"This state of emergency ensures that our first responders, who are working tirelessly and risking their lives to protect our communities from these wildfires, have the resources they need,” McMaster said in a statement.
The South Carolina National Guard said it was assisting the South Carolina Forestry Commission and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources with wildfire containment in Horry County on Sunday. The state National Guard prepared two Blackhawk helicopters, which can carry about 600 gallons of water.
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