New Evacuations As South Carolina Fires Explode
One wildfire tripled in size in South Carolina and another expanded its perimeters significantly as dry, windy weather continued Tuesday.
Four large fires remain uncontained between North and South Carolina and red flag warnings were posted for parts of both states Wednesday, making for another day of dangerous fire conditions as firefighters work for the fourth day this week to tame the blazes.
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Evacuation orders as well as voluntary evacuations remain in effect in parts of North and South Carolina, with emergency shelters welcoming displaced residents.
Downed trees from Hurricane Helene are serving as fuel, which could be making fires worse than they otherwise would have been had the storm not wreaked havoc on the region in September. Scientists predicted a busy fire season after the storm if dry weather occurred, due to downed trees acting as fuel, the Associated Press reported.
Two Wildfires Explode In Size In South Carolina
"Extreme fire behavior" triggered immediate mandatory evacuations in South Carolina's Greenville and Pickens counties Tuesday, the South Carolina Forestry Commission posted on Facebook. Both the Table Rock and Persimmon Ridge fires – together dubbed the Table Rock Complex Fire – expanded significantly Tuesday afternoon due to strong wind gusts.
An emergency shelter has been opened in the town of Marietta at the Marietta First Baptist Church.
Officials have increased their response to the fire, including a complex incident management team and eight 20-person hand crews to construct firelines and aid in beating back the blaze, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
The Table Rock Fire grew to 3.5 square miles as firefighters worked on foot in steep, rocky terrain unfit for heavy equipment. Helicopters conducted water drops and firefighting planes dropped fire retardant in an effort to quell the flames, but the fire remains 0% contained.
The Persimmon Ridge Fire tripled in size Tuesday and remains 0% contained as well. The fire has now burned more than 1.5 square miles, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
(MORE: Fires Threaten More Homes Than Ever)
About 100 residents east of Table Rock State Park remain under voluntary evacuations.
A third fire, the Covington Road Fire in South Carolina's Horry County, remained 80% contained according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. The fire has burned 3.2 square miles.
Two Large Fires Remain Uncontained In North Carolina
The two larger of three wildfires burning in Polk County, North Carolina, were still 0% contained Tuesday night, as 146 properties in the county remain under evacuation orders. The three fires together have burned more than 9.5 square miles.
The two fires had spread into neighboring Henderson County as well, where voluntary evacuation orders were underway and an emergency shelter was opened.
The Fish Hook Fire, the smaller of the three fires, has remained at 69% containment since Monday evening after burning about 199 acres.
Additional fires were burning in North Carolina’s Burke and Stokes counties, the North Carolina Forest Service reported. Authorities reported that a fire in Burke County damaged 500 vehicles at a salvage yard, according to the AP.
