A new state of emergency has been declared on the Atlantic Coast of the U.S., by the Governor of South Carolina, Henry McMaster, as a slew of over 200 confirmed wildfires have sprung about in the Carolinas and Georgia.
This announcement comes on the heels of some of the worst wildfires that the opposite side of the country had ever seen, as states like California and Nevada spent the first portion of the new year recovering from consistently devastating wildfires. Many have been forced to evacuate and some basic infrastructure such as roadways have been shut down amid the new wildfires.
Of the umpteen wildfires that rage along the U.S. coast, and more specifically in South Carolina, the worst has unequivocally been those in the Carolina Forest – an area in South Carolina just six miles north of Myrtle Beach, according to Google Maps.
“The top of the trees really lit up with the big fire, and black smoke was just pouring right on top of everything,” Dennis Sprecher, a resident near the Carolina Forest, said.
Other Carolina Forest residents have had to take more drastic measures, with some being forced to relocate to temporary sanctuaries. Over 100 of these residents found themselves on air mattresses that night in a recreation center this past Sunday, before that shelter was closed Monday morning. A local church in the city also helped to hold residents as well.
The coastal residents facing these dangers have not been left stranded, as first responders have worked quickly and tirelessly to protect community members.
“Personnel will continue to staff this incident until the fire is contained. Around 410 personnel and at least 128 fire apparatuses were deployed to fight the fire,” the Carolina Forestry Commission said.
The current situation should not last for much longer though, as the weather should be rather fortuitous for the firefighters. A slew of higher moisture levels and lighter wind levels should be advantageous to decrease the chances of more fires starting as well as the current fires spreading.
