With South Carolina suffering from the lack of significant rain, March came roaring in with 93 fires on the first day.
Forecasts for very low relative humidities statewide coupled with drying fuels and expected high winds, the Forestry Commission issued a statewide Red Flag Fire Alert Feb. 28. On March 1 the winds were much-higher-than-forecasted which led to fires spreading rapidly and growing larger. A majority of the wildfire activity was concentrated in the Pee Dee region, but the rest of the state experienced a dramatic uptick in wildfires straining the capacity of agency firefighters to respond. The Forestry Commission immediately issued a State Forester’s Burning Ban for all counties.
The Forestry Commission responded to 93 fires March 1 (with several over 50 acres in Berkeley, Marlboro, Horry, Georgetown, Pickens, Spartanburg, Sumter, Orangeburg and Darlington counties) burning 4,714 acres. Berkeley and Horry counties had multiple fires over 100 acres, while Sumter, Pickens and Orangeburg each had a fire larger than 100 acres.
The four fires that garnered the most attention were the Prince George Fire in Georgetown County (140 acres), Blackthorn Drive Fire in Horry County (600 acres), Six Mile Mountain Fire in Pickens County (230 acres) and the Covington Drive Fire in Horry County which drew national attention burning 2,059 acres.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency March 2 as firefighters battled hundreds of wildfires across the state. Even with the burning ban on, the agency still had to fight 26 fires that burned 283 acres March 2 and 22 fires that burned 166 acres March 3. Between March 1-12 the Forestry Commission responded to 198 fires totaling 5,653 acres.
The Covington Drive Fire
The Forestry Commission raced to protect several subdivisions in the Carolina Forest area of Horry County March 1. With high winds, bay fuels, low humidity and the lack of rainfall, the area known as the infamous Buist Tract burned again. The fire was contained at 2,059 acres and not one home burned even though several hundred were threatened and several neighborhoods had to be evacuated. One home had a little melted siding and fence and another a melted fence, but no lives or homes were lost in the fire.
The Forestry Commission had 200? personnel work on the fire and called in the Florida Incident Management Team to relieve personnel after six days. The two FireBoss planes dropped water on the fire for a couple days. National Guard Black Hawks from South Carolina and Georgia and a Chinook were used to dump water totaling 1,293,300 gallons on hot spots and around homes for days. Fire departments from around the state protected structures and helped mop up with hose lays and sprinklers. After two weeks and two big rainfalls a mastication project was started to clear the bay fuels within 30 feet of the fire line. The last week in March, the fire blew up again. It will not be contained and controlled until the area gets excessive rain.
