MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.– South Carolina residents in Myrtle Beach and Carolina Forest awoke to thick smoke this week from flare-ups from a wildfire that began nearly seven weeks ago.The Covington Drive Fire began in Horry County on March 1. It quickly spread to over 2,000 acres, prompting evacuations for dozens of residents. Horry County Fire Rescue and the South Carolina Forestry Commission battled the blaze for weeks, eventually reaching 90% containment. Hot spots, caused by deep, smoldering pocks of embers, have continued popping up in the weeks since the fire started, causing smoke to move in and out of nearby communities. A photo from Friday morning in Myrtle Beach showed how the smoke is impacting some areas. A house across the street, normally visible, was completely hidden by smoke. CAROLINAS LIKELY FACE WILDFIRE PROBLEMS ‘FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS’ AFTER HELENE, OFFICIAL SAYSHorry County Fire Rescue warned residents that smoke could be an issue over the next several weeks, especially in the early mornings.A photo posted by Horry County Fire Rescue on Wednesday showed the smoke as the sun rose:As to why fires like the Covington Drive Fire smolder for so long, the South Carolina Forestry Commission says the saturated nature of soils in the Carolina Bay doesn’t allow oxygen, making it take longer for dry vegetation and such to break down. Then, as moisture levels go down in the soil, it dries out and becomes similar to the tobacco inside a cigar, said Roy Holt, a Black River forester with the South Carolina Forestry Commission. The fire continues to smolder, burning deeper and deeper as the soil becomes exposed to oxygen. Horry Corry Fire Rescue said these hot spots will likely continue until the area receives significant enough rainfall to fully contain and extinguish the fire.
