Fires and firefighters

Carolinas Battle Over 170 Wildfires, SC Governor Declares Emergency

Published MAR 3 2025

Story

Above: Teams continue to work to contain the fires in Horry County at Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management property in South Carolina, United States on March 3, 2025. Image credit: SC Department of Natural Resources/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images

The Facts

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on Sunday as firefighters battled more than 175 wildfires that have consumed approximately 5K acres across the state, with the largest blaze in Carolina Forest near Myrtle Beach reaching 1.6K acres and achieving 30% containment by Sunday evening.
nytimes
Breitbart
The Carolina Forest fire, located 10 miles west of Myrtle Beach in Horry County, prompted temporary evacuations of several neighborhoods, though residents were allowed to return home by Sunday evening as more than 400 firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
The Washington Post
FOX News
The South Carolina Army National Guard deployed two Black Hawk helicopters capable of carrying 600 gallons of water each to assist the South Carolina Forestry Commission and Department of Natural Resources with wildfire containment efforts.
Sky News
FOX News
Wect
In North Carolina, firefighters confronted a significant brush fire in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Tryon and Saluda, approximately 40 miles south of Asheville, which burned between 400-500 acres and remained at 0% containment as of Sunday evening.
The Washington Post
Newsweek
The fires were fueled by very low relative humidity and dry vegetation due to a lack of significant rainfall as well as high winds — leading to the rapid spread and growth of the blazes across both states.
CNN
Breitbart
A statewide burning ban was implemented in South Carolina — prohibiting all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning, and campfires in unincorporated areas, with violators subject to criminal prosecution.
NBC
Breitbart

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

The unprecedented scale and rapid spread of these wildfires demonstrate the urgent need for enhanced firefighting resources and emergency preparedness in the Southeast, as climate conditions create increasingly dangerous fire scenarios that threaten populated areas and strain response capabilities.

CNN

The Washington Post

Narrative B

These fires represent seasonal, even if stressed, fire weather patterns for the Carolinas, where controlled burns and natural fires play a vital role in forest ecosystem management. Current emergency response systems are robust and well-equipped to handle such incidents with existing resources and protocols.