Late winter and early springtime is regarded as the most dangerous time of year for brush and forrest fires.
The ten year anniversary of the most devastating wildfire is this month on the 22nd. In 2009 during the blaze, nearly 20,000 acres were destroyed and 4,000 people had to evacuate.
News13 spoke with Myrtle Beach firefighters about the increased risk this time of year.
“We start heating up around here, it’s a little drier and we get those windy conditions coming through here, those big storms and the winds, so everything is drier,” Lieutenant Johnathan Evans said. “The winds play a pretty big part into it, again if you have those conditions, the wind can blow the fire pretty far. We had the big wildfire in 2009, it blew right across Highway 31, which is a huge spance of nothing in between.”
It is illegal to burn within Myrtle Beach city limits and there are restrictions within Horry County.
Lieutenant Evans also warned, the way you choose to get your yard spring-ready, can also affect how quickly flames spread. Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue suggests planting high-moisture plants and cutting low hanging limbs on the trees surrounding your home.
What you place around your home when landscaping can also play a role in keeping the area safe.
“Pine straw even though it’s the cheapest, it isn’t always the best thing to have around because it gets very dry and very flammable,” Evans said. “So using something like mulch, which still isn’t the best thing, but it’s better than pine straw. Or stone, which is the best because it’s not flammable.”
