More Than 100 Fires Ignite Across South Carolina

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

More than a hundred fires erupted across South Carolina on Saturday (March 1, 2025) as low humidity, a lack of precipitation and high winds fueled a surge in conflagrations statewide.

One fire in the Carolina Forest area of Horry County was said to have impacted more than 250 acres, and was one of dozens of blazes across the state which were not contained as of 8:30 p.m. EST on Saturday evening.

“As of right now no homes have burned, though the siding of a few homes has been impacted,” state representative Tim McGinnis of Myrtle Beach, S.C. told his constituents on Facebook regarding the Carolina Forest fire.

***

McGinnis said forestry officials could not conduct air drops to address the flames because “their planes are tied up at another fire in another part of the state.”

“By the time they would get here it would be too dark, and the FAA will not allow them to fly,” McGinnis added. “They do plan on being ready to go first thing in the morning.”

Horry County Fire and Rescue – whose crews have been inundated with calls for service – announced the establishment of a shelter at Carolina Forest Recreation Center, which is located at 2254 Carolina Forest Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

***

Incredible drone video of the raging wildfire near Carolina Forest. You can clearly see the massive flames billowing into the sky. Video via Jason Jawz. pic.twitter.com/vDkBGbDZRG

— Ed Piotrowski (@EdPiotrowski) March 1, 2025

***

The agency also shut down International Drive indefinitely as it battled the blaze, saying crews were “continuing to work toward containment of the fire.”

Of interest? The road was shut down five days ago for “controlled burns” conducted by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), per a report on Monday (February 24, 2025) from Hannah Strong Oskin of My Horry News.

All told, thousands of acres were ablaze across the state, with Horry and Georgetown counties bearing the brunt of the damage. Here was the S.C. Forestry Commission (SCFC)’s fire incident map as of Saturday evening.

(Click to view)

In Georgetown County, firefighters and emergency responders battled a wildfire located near South Fraser Street and North Santee River Road. This fire grew to more than 800 acres before it was finally contained, local officials noted.

As firefighters worked to get the blazes under control, state forestry officials endeavored to keep additional fires from breaking out. On Saturday evening, forestry officials implemented a rare red flag order – or a total ban on burning “for all counties, effective immediately.”

The ban imposed a prohibition on “all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning and campfires in all unincorporated areas of the state.”

***

SC FORESTRY COMMISSION ISSUES STATEWIDE BURNING BAN — The South Carolina Forestry Commission is issuing a State Forester’s Burning Ban for all counties, effective immediately.

A State Forester’s Burning Ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed… pic.twitter.com/exO3nwGerQ

— South Carolina Forestry Commission (@ForestryCommish) March 1, 2025

***

Governor Henry McMaster echoed the order – and made it clear the state would be enforcing it.

“You can and will go to jail for starting a fire outdoors in South Carolina,” McMaster wrote on X. “Period.”

McMaster also praised the work of firefighters and first responders for “risking their lives to contain many fires across South Carolina tonight.”

***

UPDATE |

The latest.

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina and before that he was a bass guitarist and dive bar bouncer. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

***

WANNA SOUND OFF?

Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.