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A 1,600-acre large blaze near Carolina Forest, a community just west of tourist spot Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, was 30 percent contained on Sunday evening
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Forecasters warned Monday that elevated fire danger would continue in the Carolinas, as dry conditions persisted.
“The combination of dry fuels, limited rainfall, and very low humidity will lead to an elevated risk of adverse fire behavior today,” officials at the U.S. Forest Service’s National Forests in North Carolina cautioned in a post on Facebook.
The warning comes as the National Weather Service’s Wilmington office advised drivers to be careful on roads, with smoke-filled skies resulting in “slow and difficult travel in the Myrtle Beach area.”
The smoke has also affected schools in the state, forcing some athletic practices indoors.
Firefighters are continuing to battle blazes that began tearing through North and South Carolina over the weekend, including an enormous fire near Myrtle Beach that doubled in size over the weekend.
More than 175 blazes were recorded in South Carolina over the weekend covering 17 square kilometers. One blaze near Carolina Forest, a community just west of the tourist spot in Horry County, stretched across 1,600 acres and was 30 percent contained as of Sunday evening, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency “to further support wildfire response efforts across the state” and ensure first responders “continue to have the resources they need.”
Schools across the wildfire-stricken Horry County will operate on a regular Monday schedule, according to WBTW.
However, there will be some adjustments made based on area weather and air quality.
Horry County Schools spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier said athletic practices will be indoor throughout the week as needed.
Schools will monitor the air for shifts.
And, the station reported that the after-school program, typically held at the Carolina Forest Recreation Center, will be held at the Carolina Forest Senior Center.
Officials at the U.S. Forest Service’s National Forests in North Carolina warned Monday that increased fire danger would continue across the state.
“Fires on the National Forests in North Carolina have crews increasing containment and are not expected to experience any significant growth, especially as weather less beneficial to fire spread moves into the area Tuesday night,” they wrote on Facebook. “The combination of dry fuels, limited rainfall, and very low humidity will lead to an elevated risk of adverse fire behavior today.”
They urged residents to avoid outdoor burning and check for bans and restrictions, noting that “careless debris burning remains the leading cause of wildfires.”
Yesterday, they noted that they were using mechanized equipment to “manage heavy fuel loads partly due to Hurricane Helene.”
The largest fire, the Falls Dam Fire in the Uwharrie National Forest, had stretched over more than 400 acres near Montgomery County by Sunday night.
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