Wind Driven Fires Threaten S.C. Homes

A wind-whipped forest fire damaged a dozen small structures, scorching back yards and melting homes near the South Carolina coast Sunday, authorities and witnesses said. About 60 homes were evacuated for several hours as the tree-high flames spread, and some families took shelter in a church.

Officials said no injuries were reported.

The blaze sent smoke billowing above this small city and dozens of firefighters took about six hours to contain it to a wedge-shaped area of between 150 and 200 acres bounded by three roads. Horry County Fire Rescue spokesman Todd Cartner said firefighters would monitor the blaze through the night, but that fighting it had grown easier as winds died down at the end of a day that saw more than 100 wildfires smolder across South Carolina.

"Thank goodness," he said.

Cartner said officials were not able to immediately get to every part of the blaze, which was first reported shortly after 1 p.m., and it was not clear how many of the damaged and destroyed structures were homes, sheds or other small buildings.

At the height of the blaze Sunday afternoon, witnesses said flames reached the tops of trees and crept toward homes, melting siding. Police announced the orders to evacuate over loudspeakers as they drove through neighborhoods.

Joseph Schell got word from one neighbor and, as smoke made it difficult to breathe, told another, "Get your dogs, get in your car, and get out of here."

Schell, 37, drove his wife, three children and husky named Jessica to a Baptist church being used as a shelter. On the way, he said he saw firefighters dousing flames as they swept across yards. Several hours later, after the evacuation order was lifted, the family planned to either get back into their home or spend the night at a friend's motel.

Red Cross officials planned to keep the shelter open in case people could not get back into their homes.

Lewis Cooper fled the fire with his wife, and said the heat was intense from seven football fields away. "The flames were at the top of the trees and I could feel the heat," said Cooper, 37, who went to the church to check on his neighbors.

Through the day, more than 100 firefighters were frustrated by wind gusts of up to 30 mph that sent the flames jumping over parts of one highway. At one spot, a consignment shop burned to the ground before firefighters could douse the flames and the road stayed closed Sunday night, making it difficult for some people to return home.

Conway, a city of about 11,000 people, is about 15 miles northwest of Myrtle Beach.

The eastern half of South Carolina was under a red flag fire warning Sunday, with winds gusting and low humidity, according to the National Weather Service. The ground also is dry, which creates dangerous wildfire conditions.

Around South Carolina, 106 forest fires were reported by Sunday evening, said Scott Hawkins, spokesman for the state Forestry Commission. Other blazes were consuming 300 acres each in Berkeley and Georgetown counties that were not threatening homes, he said.