More Hilton Head-area firefighters head to Myrtle Beach to help contain wildfire
Crews from three additional fire departments in Beaufort and Jasper counties have been sent upstate to help contain a massive wildfire in the Myrtle Beach area.
The group included seven members of Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue, eight from the Bluffton Township Fire District and six firefighters from Jasper County-Fire Rescue. They departed Wednesday morning for Horry County in a fleet of fire engines, water tenders and specialized brush trucks.
They’ll join a three-person crew from the City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department, which was dispatched to the Myrtle Beach area Monday morning.
Contingents from across the state are coordinated via the state’s Firefighter Mobilization plan, which allows fire departments across South Carolina to share staff and resources in the event of a large-scale disaster.
Covering over 2,000 acres, the Carolina Forest wildfire was the largest in a string of wildfires across North and South Carolina. The blaze was 30% contained as of Tuesday morning, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
The wildfire northwest of Myrtle Beach received a small amount of much-needed rain Wednesday morning. As local forecasts predicted severe thunderstorms later in the day, Horry County officials expressed concern about potential wind gusts ranging between 40 and 60 mph.
Thousands of gallons of water had been dropped on the wildfire by Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters, as well as single-engine planes, according to reporting from The Sun News. The aircraft were unable to fly Wednesday because of the weather.
As of Wednesday morning, South Carolina remained under a state of emergency and a statewide ban on outdoor burning.
