Dozens of wildfires in North and South Carolina prompted the evacuation of thousands of people from their homes Sunday as the area was plagued with dry conditions and gusty winds.
In South Carolina, 175 wildfires burned across the state, scorching over 4,200 acres of land and straining firefighting resources, according to the state fire marshal’s office. Response operations were ongoing in various areas, including Horry, Spartanburg, Union, Oconee, and Pickens counties.
The largest of the brush fires erupted Saturday in Carolina Forest, a community west of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The fire exploded in size overnight, forcing residents in at least a half dozen neighborhoods to flee their homes, officials said.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued a state of emergency Sunday to unlock funds and resources for the ongoing response effort. A statewide ban on outdoor fires remains in effect, he said.
In North Carolina, a wildfire burning in the Blue Ridge mountains was threatening the communities of Saluda and Tryon, which are located near the South Carolina border.
Wildfires rage across the Carolinas: South Carolina governor issues state of emergency, more
The so-called Melrose Fire burned 400 acres of land as of Sunday afternoon and remained uncontained, according to Polk County Emergency Management. “As of right now, evacuations are still voluntary for those in the affected areas of this fire,” the agency said.
See maps of the wildfires in the Carolinas below.
North Carolina wildfire Map
South Carolina wildfire Map
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wildfires map: See where fires are burning in North, South Carolina