Five-acre brush fire spreads through Conway woods, threatens homes

Horry County Fire Rescue crews were battling a 5-acre brush fire in the woods off of Willard Road in Conway at 5 p.m. Thursday, two hours after the fast-moving wildfire was first reported.

Rudy Wrathell, who lives in the area, said he thought the fire started near Party Pines Road. By 4:30 p.m., the smoke had already reached his home about half-a-mile away and the flames were getting closer to his brother’s house on Martha Anns Road.

His brother was out of town, he said, but Wrathell was telling his family, who lived nearby, to be ready to leave if the fire drew closer.

“I hope nobody gets hurt,” he said.

Fire crews were battling the flames, fueled by windy conditions and the dry underbrush of the woods, to protect 11 structures, including homes and outbuildings, that were initially threatened by the blaze.

Three South Carolina Forestry Service plows were being used to try to contain the fire and 16 Horry County crews were working to battle the inferno.

“Right now we’re good. They’re not in danger,” Horry County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Brian Van Aernem said about the structures Thursday afternoon.

Crews were lighting some backfires to try to rein the fire in and prevent its spread. “Hopefully within the next hour or so we’ll ... start getting some units out of here.”

The fire was contained before nightfall.

The origin and cause of the fire is still under investigation.

This story was originally published July 7, 2016 at 5:28 PM with the headline "Five-acre brush fire spreads through Conway woods, threatens homes."