South Carolina fires: “Insane” video shows huge blaze, mass of smoke

Videos circulating on social media show blazing fires and masses of smoke in South Carolina. Wildfires across the Carolinas have forced evacuations of multiple neighborhoods, particularly in the Carolina Forest area near Myrtle Beach.

According to the South Carolina Forestry Commission, over 175 blazes were recorded over the weekend; as of early Monday, this number was down to 163. The cause of the fires is unknown, and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has declared a state of emergency.

Newsweek reached out to the South Carolina Forestry Commission via email for comment.

Why It Matters

The fires in South Carolina come as the United States is still reeling from the devastating wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles County for over a week in January, which destroyed entire neighborhoods and burned down thousands of structures.

The National Weather Service had warned of increased fire danger in the Carolinas region, primarily due to critically dry fuels and low relative humidity.

What To Know

Ed Piotrowski, a meteorologist for WPDE ABC-15, shared a video of the wildfires on X, formerly Twitter. In the clip, multiple fire trucks are seen in front of a house; behind the house, a fire is blazing. The sky is filled with smoke and is a bright, burnt orange.

In the caption of the post, he wrote: “8:37 a.m. – this is the most insane video I’ve seen of the wildfire yet. It was raging near Wyandot Ct. in The Reserve at Walkers Woods early this morning. Heroic firefighters were able to suppress the fire and save all of these homes. Video via Greg Staff.”

The post has been viewed over 662,000 times as of reporting.

A similar video, shared on TikTok, showed the fire burning across South Carolina in a series of images, some taken up close and others from an aerial view. The video, titled “Pray for Myrtle Beach, SC,” has been viewed over 445,000 times.

Another post on X from the account SyeClops showed more footage of fires. Massive plumes of black smoke can be seen in the footage.

Wildfires in South Carolina are most commonly caused by debris burning (35-45 percent), followed by woods arson (25-30 percent).

Wildfire season generally peaks in late winter and early spring. March is often the most active month, though some of the largest fires have occurred in early April.

What People Are Saying

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster: “This State of Emergency ensures that our first responders, who are working tirelessly and risking their lives to protect our communities from these wildfires, have the resources they need.”

National Weather Service Columbia South Carolina, on Facebook: “The threat of elevated fire danger continues today due to a combination of dry fuels & low humidity. The SCFC statewide burn ban prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, prescribed burning and campfires in all unincorporated areas of the state until further notice.”

What Happens Next

Emergency services will likely issue updates on any progress in fighting the blazes and evacuation orders. The long-term impact of these fires, in terms of destruction, damage and environmental concerns, remains to be seen.

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