Update on weekend wildfires that burned across Carolinas
Updated: 8:03 AM EST Mar 3, 2025
FOR NEWS TO GO. WE’VE GOT A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. WE START WITH DRY, WINDY CONDITIONS FUELING SEVERAL WILDFIRES ACROSS THE CAROLINAS. THE LARGEST, MORE THAN 1000 ACRES BURNED NEAR THE POPULAR MYRTLE BEACH AREA. AS OF SUNDAY NIGHT, IT WAS 30% CONTAINED. SOUTH CAROLINA DOES REMAIN UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY. GOVERNOR MCMASTER ISSUED A STATEWIDE BURN BAN SATURDAY NIGHT. THE GOVERNOR SAYS THIS MEANS YOU CAN AND WILL GO TO JAIL FOR STARTING A FIRE OUTDOORS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. MCMASTER DID NOT STATE WHEN THE BAN WILL BE LIFTED, AND WE HAVE OFFICIALLY ENTERED THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON FOR THE CAROLINAS. GOVERNOR MCMASTER PROCLAIMED THIS WEEK. SOUTH CAROLINA SEVERE WEATHER WEEK. MARK JOINS US LIVE WITH MORE ABOUT THE GOVERNOR’S PROCLAMATION. ISABELLE. HEY, DESTINY. GOOD MORNING. YES, THIS WEEK IS ALL ABOUT REMINDING PEOPLE TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS BECAUSE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS, FLOODING, WILDFIRES, THOSE CAN ALL POSE SIGNIFICANT THREATS. SO THERE’S A DIFFERENT THEME THROUGHOUT EVERY DAY OF THIS WEEK. AND TODAY’S IS WATCHES AND WARNINGS. REMEMBER, A WATCH MEANS SEVERE WEATHER IS POSSIBLE AND A WARNING MEANS SEVERE WEATHER IS HAPPENING. AN IMPORTANT REMINDER FOR THIS WEEK AS WELL IS THE STATEWIDE TORNADO DRILL THAT WILL TAKE PLACE THIS WEDNESDAY. IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER TO HAVE A PLAN IF YOU DO ENCOUNTER SEVERE WEATHER. THAT WAY YOU’LL KNOW WHAT TO DO. REPORTING LIVE HERE IN GREENVILLE ISABELLE MARAK WYFF NEWS FOUR. WELL, THE BIG QUESTION THIS MORNING AFTER SIGNIFICANT SETBACK ON FRIDAY IS WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR AND THE PUSH FOR PEACE AFTER THE OVAL OFFICE CLASHES BETWEEN UKRAINE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT TRUMP? LET’S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK FROM OUR JACKIE DEFUSCO. DESTINY, A SORT OF SPLIT SCREEN IS EMERGING HERE, WHERE EUROPEAN LEADERS ARE SHORING UP SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE, WHILE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS RAMPING UP CRITICISM. THIS WEEKEND, BRITAIN ANNOUNCED NEW AID FOR UKRAINE AT A EUROPEAN SUMMIT WITH PRESIDENT ZELENSKY. THE UK, FRANCE AND UKRAINE NOW WORKING ON A CEASEFIRE PLAN THAT THEY SAY THEY WILL LATER PRESENT TO THE UNITED STATES. MEANTIME, ZELENSKYY SAYS HE IS STILL READY TO SIGN A MINERALS DEAL WITH THE US, VIEWED AS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS BROADER PEACE TALKS WITH RUSSIA. AFTER FRIDAY’S CONFRONTATION CAUSED THAT SIGNING TO BE CANCELED. THOUGH PRESIDENT TRUMP’S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, MIKE WALTZ, QUESTIONED WHETHER THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK WITH ZELENSKY MOVING FORWARD. COMMENTS HARSHLY CRITICIZED BY DEMOCRATS. WE NEED A LEADER THAT CAN DEAL WITH US EVENTUALLY, DEAL WITH THE RUSSIANS AND END THIS WAR. AND IF IT BECOMES APPARENT THAT PRESIDENT ZELENSKY EITHER PERSONAL MOTIVATIONS OR POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS, OR DIVERGENT FROM ENDING THE FIGHTING IN HIS COUNTRY, THEN THEN I THINK WE HAVE A REAL ISSUE ON OUR HANDS. IT IS A SAD DAY IN AMERICA WHEN WE ARE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO RUSSIA. A BRUTAL DICTATORSHIP, AND WE ARE GETTING FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM DEMOCRATIC ALLIES. NOW. WALTZ EMPHASIZED THAT BOTH SIDES ARE GOING TO NEED TO COMPROMISE IN ORDER TO END THIS WAR. HE SAID THAT LIKELY MEANS TERRITORIAL CONCESSIONS FROM UKRAINE AND FROM RUSSIA. SOME CONCESSIONS ON SECURITY GUARANTEES. BUT RIGHT NOW, THE DETAILS AND A TIMELINE FOR POTENTIAL PEACE PLAN REMAIN UNCLEAR. REPORTING IN WASHINGTON. I’M JACKIE DEFUSCO NEWS FOR. THE PRICE OF ITEMS AT PLACES YOU SHOP ARE EXPECTED TO RISE EVEN HIGHER THIS WEEK. PRESIDENT TRUMP’S 25% TARIFFS ON GOODS FROM CANADA AND MEXICO, AND A 20% TARIFF ON CHINESE IMPORTS WILL GO INTO EFFECT TUESDAY. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS ILLICIT DRUGS LIKE FENTANYL ARE BEING SMUGGLED INTO THE U.S. AT UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS, AND IMPORT TAXES WOULD FORCE OTHER COUNTRIES TO CRACK DOWN ON TRAFFICKING. MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SET TO RECEIVE A ROUTINE PHYSICAL NEXT MONTH, AND THIS WILL MARK TRUMP’S FIRST PHYSICAL IN HIS SECOND TERM. THE ROUTINE EXAM WILL TAKE PLACE AT WALTER REED NATIONAL MILITARY MEDICAL CENTER. THE EXACT DATE HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED. 78 PRESIDENT TRUMP IS AMONG THE NATION’S OLDEST PRESIDENTS, SECOND ONLY TO FORMER PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN. 650 IS YOUR TIME. AND OVER THE WEEKEND, THERE WAS A DEADLY SHOOTING AT A GREENVILLE SHOPPING CENTER, AND INVESTIGATORS SPOKE OUT FOR THOSE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY. THE SHOOTING TOOK PLACE AT THE SHOPS AT GREENRIDGE SATURDAY EVENING. AUTHORITIES SAY THE SHOOTER SHOT TWO WOMEN IN A CAR BEFORE TURNING THE GUN ON HIMSELF. THE TWO WOMEN ARE IN STABLE CONDITION. THEY ALSO SAY ALL THREE VICTIMS KNEW EACH OTHER. WE JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THEY ARE SAFE. LIKE I SAID, THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. IT WASN’T A RANDOM ACT. IT WAS A DOMESTIC DISPUTE BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE THIRD PERSON THAT WAS THERE WAS A FAMILY MEMBER OF ONE OF THEM AND JUST HAPPENED TO BE INVOLVED IN IT. THE CORONER HAS NOT RELEASED THE NAME OF THE MAN WHO DIED. THE GIRL SCOUTS HAVE A MESSAGE FOR PODCAST HOST JOE ROGAN. OUR COOKIES ARE SAFE TO EAT. DURING HIS PODCAST LAST WEEK, ROGAN SAID THE COOKIES WERE, QUOTE, TOXIC. HE HAD CITED A STUDY THAT WAS PUBLISHED BY THE NONPROFIT GROUP MOMS ACROSS AMERICA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GMO SCIENCE. THE STUDY FOUND ALL GIRL SCOUT COOKIES CONTAIN TOXIC METAL. HOWEVER, IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE STUDY WAS NOT PUBLISHED IN A SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL, NOR WAS IT PEER REVIEWED. IN A STATEMENT, GIRL SCOUTS SAYS ITS COOKIES, QUOTE, ADHERE TO RIGOROUS FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS SET BY THE FDA AND OTHER RELEVANT AUTHORITIES. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SAYS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS IS THEIR TOP PRIORITY. OKAY. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. HAPPY MONDAY. 651 IT’S FREEZING OUT THERE. 18 DEGREES IN FRANKLIN. 27 DEGREES IN GAFFNEY. WE’RE COLDER THAN WE WERE YESTERDAY AT THIS TIME AS TEMPERATURES ARE FALLING BACK DOWN TO THE SEASONAL AVERAGE, ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON, WE’RE GOING TO STAY RELATIVELY CLOUD FREE TODAY. HOWEVER, THE CLOUDS OUT TO THE WEST WILL BE ALLOWED TO MOVE IN TOMORROW. BUT TODAY, MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. HIGHS PRETTY CLOSE TO WHERE WE SHOULD BE. UPPER 50S TO RIGHT AROUND 60 DEGREES FOR GREENVILLE IN THE UPSTATE MID-FIFTIES, RIGHT AROUND 5556 FOR ASHEVILLE IN THE MOUNTAINS TOMORROW. A LOT OF CLOUDS, A LITTLE BIT WARMER. BUT WEDNESDAY WE’VE GOT SOME THUNDERSTORMS AND SOME PRETTY STRONG WIND GUSTS. WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE LATEST WITH YOUR FOUR DAY PLUS IN ABOUT SIX MINUTES FROM RIGHT NOW. FIRST, LET’S GET YOU OUTSIDE. GET A CHECK ON THOSE ROADS. DESTINY. HOW’S IT LOOKING? HEY, IT IS LOOKING GREAT RIGHT NOW ON THIS MONDAY, MARCH 3RD, AS OUR VIEWERS ARE WAKING UP TO CLEAR ROADS, AT LEAST WITH WHAT WE’VE SEEN SO FAR THIS MORNING. HERE’S A LIVE LOOK. I, 35, AT ROPER MOUNTAIN ROAD IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. ALSO, YOUR TRAVEL TIMES HAVE BEEN GREEN AND GREAT TO GO. I 242 ASHEVILLE HIGHWAY 12 MINUTES. AIRPORT ON WOODRUFF ROAD EIGHT FAIRVIEW ROAD TO DOWNTOWN 13. AND HERE’S A NOTE FOR DRIVERS HEADING INTO TRAVELERS REST. STARTING TODAY, CREWS WILL BE WORKING ON THE NORTH LANE OF NORTH POINSETT HIGHWAY. THE CITY SAYS THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WILL BE IMPACTED FOR 2 TO 3 WEEKS. DURING CONSTRUCTION, TRAFFIC WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE WAY. DETOUR SIGNS WILL BE POSTED TO GUIDE DRIVERS AROUND THE CLOSURE. WE’RE TOLD BUSINESSES IN THE AREA WILL REMAIN OPEN. ALL RIGHT. AT 652, LOOK AT THOSE WONDERFUL YOUNG LADIES. THANK YOU. EAST NORTH STREET ACADEMY FOR WELCOMING ME AS YOUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER. FOR THE LADIES WHO LEAD LUNCHEON. I SPOKE TO ABOUT 55TH GRADE STUDENTS WHO ARE TRANSITIONING TO THE SIXTH GRADE VERY SOON ABOUT MY CAREER IN JOURNALISM AND MY LIFE AND JOURNEY. THEY HAD AMAZING QUESTIONS AND WERE SO RESPECTFUL. THANK YOU TO THEIR GUIDANCE COUNSELORS. MISS PHIFER, MISS FELTNER, AND ALSO MISS BROWN FOR PLANNING THE LUNCHEON AND ASKING ME TO VISIT. I LOVE MY FAMILY AND OF COURSE THE PRINCIPAL, JORDAN HUDSO
Update on weekend wildfires that burned across Carolinas
Updated: 8:03 AM EST Mar 3, 2025
Crews battled wildfires in North and South Carolina on Sunday amid dry conditions and gusty winds as residents were forced to evacuate in some areas.The National Weather Service warned of increased fire danger in the region due to a combination of critically dry fuels and very low relative humidity.In South Carolina, where more than 175 fires burned 6.6 square miles , Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on Sunday to support the wildfire response effort, and a statewide burning ban remained in effect.Crews made progress containing a fire in the Carolina Forest area west of the coastal resort city of Myrtle Beach, where residents had been ordered to evacuate several neighborhoods, according to Horry County Fire Rescue. Video showed some people running down the street as smoke filled the sky. But by late Sunday afternoon, the fire department announced that Carolina Forest evacuees could return home. The South Carolina Forestry Commission estimated Sunday evening that the blaze had burned 2.5 square miles with 30 percent of it contained. No structures had succumbed to the blaze and no injuries had been reported as of Sunday morning, officials said.In North Carolina, the U.S. Forest Service said fire crews were working to contain multiple wildfires burning in four forests across the state on Sunday. The largest, about 400 acres , was at Uwharrie National Forest, about 50 miles east of Charlotte. The Forest Service said Sunday afternoon that it had made progress on the fire, reaching about one-third containment.The small southwestern town of Tryon in Polk County, North Carolina, urged some residents to evacuate Saturday as a fire spread rapidly there. The evacuations remained in effect Sunday. A decision on whether to lift them was expected to be made Monday after intentional burns are set to try to stop the fire from spreading. That fire has burned about 500 acres as of late Sunday, with zero percent containment, according to the Polk County Emergency Management/Fire Marshal’s office. The North Carolina Forest Service was conducting water drops and back-burning operations on the ground, and area residents should expect a lot of smoke during those operations, officials said.Officials have not said what caused any of the fires.
GREENVILLE, S.C. —Crews battled wildfires in North and South Carolina on Sunday amid dry conditions and gusty winds as residents were forced to evacuate in some areas.
The National Weather Service warned of increased fire danger in the region due to a combination of critically dry fuels and very low relative humidity.
In South Carolina, where more than 175 fires burned 6.6 square miles , Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on Sunday to support the wildfire response effort, and a statewide burning ban remained in effect.
Crews made progress containing a fire in the Carolina Forest area west of the coastal resort city of Myrtle Beach, where residents had been ordered to evacuate several neighborhoods, according to Horry County Fire Rescue. Video showed some people running down the street as smoke filled the sky. But by late Sunday afternoon, the fire department announced that Carolina Forest evacuees could return home.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission estimated Sunday evening that the blaze had burned 2.5 square miles with 30 percent of it contained. No structures had succumbed to the blaze and no injuries had been reported as of Sunday morning, officials said.
In North Carolina, the U.S. Forest Service said fire crews were working to contain multiple wildfires burning in four forests across the state on Sunday. The largest, about 400 acres , was at Uwharrie National Forest, about 50 miles east of Charlotte. The Forest Service said Sunday afternoon that it had made progress on the fire, reaching about one-third containment.
The small southwestern town of Tryon in Polk County, North Carolina, urged some residents to evacuate Saturday as a fire spread rapidly there. The evacuations remained in effect Sunday. A decision on whether to lift them was expected to be made Monday after intentional burns are set to try to stop the fire from spreading.
That fire has burned about 500 acres as of late Sunday, with zero percent containment, according to the Polk County Emergency Management/Fire Marshal’s office. The North Carolina Forest Service was conducting water drops and back-burning operations on the ground, and area residents should expect a lot of smoke during those operations, officials said.
Officials have not said what caused any of the fires.
