Wildfires rage across the Carolinas; South Carolina governor issues state of emergency

Editor's note: This story reflects news of the wildfires in North and South Carolina for Sunday, March 2. For the latest news, visit our story of the Carolina fires for Monday, March 3.

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.

As of 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. By 7:30 p.m., some residents who were forced to evacuate were allowed back in their homes, Horry County Fire Rescue said in a statement.

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.

Residents near fire in Carolina Forest allowed to return home

In an update Sunday night, the Horry County Fire Rescue said residents in neighborhoods that were evacuated due to the Carolina Forest-area wildfire are allowed to re-enter their homes. As of 7:30 p.m., no structures have been impacted by the wildfire and no injuries were reported.

"Residents can expect to see first responders in the affected areas for an extended period of time," the department said. "Smoke will also be visible for an extended period of time. Folks traveling across the area are asked to use caution as smoke may reduce visibility, particularly after dark."

International Drive, which runs through the Carolina Forest, remains closed at the fire gates, according to the Horry County Fire Rescue. The department advised motorists to use alternative routes of highways 501, 22, and 31.

About 410 personnel and at least 127 fire apparatus have been involved in the fire response, according to the department.

Myrtle Beach resident evacuates: 'I'm worried about our home'

Jason Daily, 52, was home in western Myrtle Beach when he received an evacuation order on his phone Sunday morning. Living in a coastal city prone to hurricanes, he already had a go-bag with important documents ready, but he still needed to get his two African serval cats, Cage and Raven, into their kennels.

Within 30 minutes, he packed the animals into his truck and headed to the nearby town of Conway, where his contracting business has a shop. There, he let the cats out and started a barbecue in the parking lot for evacuees.

On Saturday, he heard about the fast-moving fire and began seeing smoke outside his windows. Taking one step outside, it was "all you could smell," he said.

Daily, a retired fireman, has lived in Horry County for decades. He said this fire is the worst he's seen in the area since 2009, when a massive blaze consumed over 19,000 acres of land and destroyed 76 homes, including some of his friend's properties.

"I'm worried about our home, but it's just belongings that can be replaced," said Daily, who has been offered a few places to stay if he's not able to return home Sunday. "Everything important to me is out of the house."

North Carolina wildfire threatens 2 mountain communities

In North Carolina, a wildfire burning in the Blue Ridge mountains was threatening the communities of Saluda and Tryon, which are located near the South Carolina border.

The so-called Melrose Fire burned 400 acres of land as of Sunday afternoon and remained uncontained, according to Polk County Emergency Management. "As of right now, evacuations are still voluntary for those in the affected areas of this fire," the agency said.

The state's forest service said its personnel, along with local firefighters, were battling the blaze from the air and the ground.

The fire department in Saluda said in a statement on Facebook that the fire appeared to have been started "by a downed power line."

Has Myrtle Beach been impacted by the wildfires?

Myrtle Beach, a coastal city home to nearly 40,000 people, has not had any damage from the large blaze spreading in eastern South Carolina, though it's close enough to see the smoke.

The blaze has scorched over 1,200 acres in Carolina Forest, a community just west of Myrtle Beach, where residents in several neighborhoods fled their homes.

The Myrtle Beach Fire Department is one of more than 30 agencies helping Horry County Fire Rescue battle the blaze.

Much of the eastern U.S. is under increased fire risk

The National Weather Service issued advisories on Sunday from Georgia to New Jersey warning of an increased risk of wildfires.

"The combination of dry fuels & low relative humidity continues to raise concerns for dangerous fire behavior on Sunday," the weather service office in Columbia, South Carolina. "While winds will be lighter, the dry conditions are forecast to continue being a problem."

The weather service issued a special weather statement for the elevated risk of the spread of wildfires in central and southern New Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and northeastern Maryland.

"Minimum relative humidity values will be near 20% combined with northwest winds near 10 to 15 mph and gusts up to 25 mph," said the weather service in Mount Holly, New Jersey. "These conditions could support the rapid spread of any fires that ignite, which could quickly become difficult to control."

The Georgia Forestry Commission said it responded to 137 wildfires that burned more than 2,300 acres across the state on Saturday. The agency warned that while conditions were expected to improve on Sunday, residents should remain "extremely cautious with anything that may start fires outdoors."

Two wildfires were burning in New Jersey, including one in Mercer County and another in Salem County.

As of Saturday night, the Salem County fire burned about 50 acres and was 85% contained, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. No structures or roads were impacted.

The Mercer County Fire scorched more than 270 acres and was 80% contained by Sunday morning, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. The agency said 30 residential structures and four commercial structures had been threatened.

Wildfire and smoke map

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wildfires rage across North and South Carolina, forcing evacuations