‘Extreme fire danger’ prompts burn ban in Horry County
Residents in unincorporated Horry County should put down the lighters and matches for now.
Horry County government instituted a burn ban until further notice covering unincorporated parts of the county. The dry weather and relatively low humidity increased the risk of fire danger, prompting the decision, according to a news release from Horry County government.
The rule applies outdoor burning, and anyone who starts a fire outdoors would be violating the law.
The burn ban comes after Horry County Fire Rescue was dispatched to a 10-acre blaze in the Little River area Tuesday morning. No injuries or property damage were reported.
The city of Conway has also put an outdoor burn ban in place due to dangerous conditions.
Weather experts advise keeping an eye on weather conditions before burning, specifically in the winter months. Steven Pfaff, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Wilmington, NC, said wind can increase the risk of fires spreading.
“On those dry winter days when the fans of winds after a front coming through, or something like that, and there isn’t much in the way of rainfall, that can set the stage for problematic fire conditions,” Pfaff said.
This story was originally published December 1, 2021 at 12:06 PM.
