‘We’re not out of the woods.’ How Myrtle Beach area firefighters battle a coastal wildfire

As firefighters continue to battle wildfires in the Carolina Forest area, it may sound as simple as to douse the flames with gallons of water.

But different measures have to be taken when dealing with fires in the coastal area of South Carolina.

About 1,600 acres continue to burn Monday in the Myrtle Beach area, according to Doug Wood with the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Only 30% of that has been contained, which means that it has been kept within a perimeter, but it hasn’t been extinguished.

The fire began Saturday and has spread to different neighborhoods, forcing residents to be evacuated and firefighters trying to put it out.

What is encouraging, Wood said, is that fire crews have been able to get around the fire by creating a perimeter. With winds dying down, Wood is hopeful that things will take a turn.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Wood said.

The method being used to fight the wildfires is to develop a “fire break” around the fire with the use of bulldozers, scratching away debris that could fuel the fire. The goal is get in front of the head fire, Wood said.

Firefighters use bulldozers to dig lines around the perimeter of the fire, Wood said. However, because of the soil type, known as Carolina Bay, equipment becomes bogged down, causing issues in setting up a perimeter, Wood said.

The terrain is fire prone because it’s covered in “layer upon layer of peat and vegetative material,” Wood said. The soil type causes the fire, once extinguished, to smolder. That means the fire could potentially come back if conditions, such as wind, are just right.

In addition, pine trees, which are in abundance in the Myrtle Beach area, are highly flammable, creating a whole set of different problems, Wood said.

This method is used because most wildfires occur in the middle of nowhere and it’s difficult to get water to those areas, Wood said.

“(The water) is absolutely helping, but that’s just not really available,” he said.

Blackhawk helicopters with the South Carolina National Guard have been dumping water on wildfires since Sunday.

Each helicopter bucket carries 600 gallons of water, according to a Facebook post.

It is not known when the wildfire will be extinguished, Wood said.

Horry County officials said that firefighters continue to deploy such measures to try to contain the fire.

Wood said that the Horry County Fire Rescue has done a great job talking to residents, evacuating them and in their communication. “They deserve the highest praise,” he said.

This story was originally published March 3, 2025 at 12:28 PM.

Terri Richardson

The Sun News