North, South Carolina fires ablaze as severe weather threatens states: See wildfire maps
Firefighters are working to put out over 175 wildfires across North and South Carolina, as threats of severe storms and tornadoes loom over the states.
Wildfires erupted in the area over the weekend due to dry conditions and low humidity, according to the National Weather Service. The fires prompted evacuation orders across both states.
As firefighters make gains in North Carolina, the state faces an enhanced risk of severe storms on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the "main hazards" being "damaging straight line winds and isolated tornadoes," according to the National Weather Service in Raleigh, North Carolina.
On Wednesday, there's also a chance for numerous severe thunderstorms to move across Charleston, South Carolina, according to the National Weather Service in Charleston.
North Carolina wildfire map
South Carolina wildfire map
North Carolina's biggest fire: Melrose Fire
Dozens of fires have been reported or are classified as active across North Carolina, according to the North Carolina Forest Service.
The Melrose Fire, a fire in Polk County, North Carolina, around 85 miles west of Charlotte, is the biggest active fire in the state at 593 acres and is currently 63% contained.
The county is under evacuation due to the large fire.
As of Tuesday, at 8:30 a.m. ET, 189 fires in North Carolina have set around 2,235 acres ablaze, according to the North Carolina Forest Service's website.
Included in the number of fires are active, controlled, contained and reported fires.
South Carolina Forestry Commission Burning ban
On Saturday, the South Carolina Forestry Commission issued a statewide burning ban that prohibited all outdoor burning, including the following, according to a media advisory:
Yard debris burning
Prescribed burning
Campfires
The state saw 102 wildfire ignitions on Saturday alone, the day the ban was issued.
"While a majority of the current wildfire activity is concentrated in the Pee Dee region, the rest of the state is experiencing a dramatic uptick in wildfires today, straining the capacity of agency firefighters to respond," the commission's media advisory stated.
Contributing: Christopher Cann, Thao Nguyen; USA TODAY
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where are the Carolina fires? See wildfire maps