Impacts of South Carolina wildfires felt statewide

An outbreak of wildfires in the state of South Carolina is affecting Columbia government officials, firefighters and students. 

The current largest fire in the state is being called the “Covington Drive Fire,” in Horry County. The fire had burned at least 2,000 acres and was 30% contained as of Monday night, the South Carolina Forestry Commission said.  

There are ongoing responses to more than 175 fires in South Carolina, the governor’s office said in a statement Sunday. 

Effects of the fires are being felt statewide. 

“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 Forestry Commission in a Sunday media advisory. 

The Columbia-Richland Fire Department has answered the call to alleviate some of the burden the other agencies are feeling. 

“On Sunday March 2, our department did deploy two of our tanker trucks and a battalion chief to Horry County to assist local agencies with the wildfire there,” said CRFD spokesperson Mike DeSumma. 

The task force was sent through the state’s Firefighter Mobilization Plan. All CRFD units returned to the Midlands on Sunday evening.  

Gov. Henry McMaster and the South Carolina Forestry Commission issued a statewide burning ban in response to the fires.  

“That means you can and will go to jail for starting a fire outdoors in South Carolina,” McMaster said in a social media post. “Period.”  

This ban coincides with the declaration of a State of Emergency for all counties in South Carolina. 

“This is the first wildfire-related State of Emergency Governor McMaster has issued during his time in office,” said Brandon Charochak, communications director at the Office of the Governor. 

Many South Carolina towns are not strangers to this natural disaster. 

“In a typical year, South Carolina responds to over 5,000 wildfires, which burn nearly 30,000 acres,” the South Carolina Emergency Management Division said.  

The largest fire ever in South Carolina was in Horry County in April 1976, when around 30,000 acres burned.

University of South Carolina student Bayli Soles is a lifelong resident of Horry County. It’s not the first time wildfires have affected her community. She recalls two separate instances of her peers’ homes being affected.  

“The second time I was a freshman in high school, and I was really close to a girl that was living in the house near the wildfire,” Soles said. “This time is a little bit different. … But it is still sad to see the community I have grown up with struggle.” 

State and local officials continue to urge residents to adhere to the burning ban, as the situation remains fluid.