Politics
Evacuations Ordered After Wildfires Erupt In The Carolinas
Officials ordered evacuations across various parts of North Carolina and South Carolina after multiple brushfires erupted on Saturday afternoon.
According to an update from the North Carolina Fire Service provided just before midnight on Saturday, a wildfire in Polk County was burning at least 400 acres and was at zero containment. An agency spokesperson stated that structures could be at risk and that evacuations were being ordered ahead of time.
In a Facebook post, state officials announced evacuations for residents along the U.S. Highway 176 between Tryon and Saluda, warning that the fire was spreading rapidly and was not at all contained. The statement added that fire crews from several counties were responding to the blaze.
Tryon has a population of about 1,500 people, while Saluda’s is under 1,000. Both towns are located roughly 40 miles south of Asheville, North Carolina.
Polk County suffered severe damage as a result of Hurricane Helene last year, which dropped record rainfall in portions of the American South, leading to mudslides and devastating loss of life. North Carolina communities are still working to rebuild after the storm left thousands of residents homeless, while major highways are being rebuilt entirely.
Wildfires burn not far from the town of Tryon, North Carolina
Photo: Cody Alcorn via X
In South Carolina, Horry County Fire Rescue evacuated residents from several communities in the Carolina Forest, located about 10 miles west of Myrtle Beach, according to a report from CBS News. It is unknown how many acres the blaze is currently spanning nor is there any word on the level of containment.
“Crews are continuing to work a large wildfire near Carolina Forest,” the fire rescue announced on Facebook. “Horry County is monitoring the weather forecast and preparing to adjust course in our life safety and property protection plan should conditions evolve.”
South Carolina State Rep. Tim McGinnis provided an update from State Forester Scott Phillips, who announced that Black Hawk helicopters would be dumping water on the fires throughout the day. Tractors were also deployed to dig trenches around the fire zone in order to contain it.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission issued a statewide burn ban for all counties after more than 100 ignitions were reported as of Saturday night. A red flag warning, which indicate when critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or imminent, was in effect for western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina as of Saturday night.
