HORRY COUNTY, S.C. — Crews believe they have brought a fire under control in Horry County that initially spread through a wooded area on Sunday morning.
The fire was first reported around 5 a.m., the result of an "outside fire" on Hemingway Landings in the Longs community, according to Horry County Fire. At the time, it was said to be about four acres in size and had damaged one structure.
And while an update from Horry County initially suggested it had grown to 20 acres by around 9 a.m., authorities have now pulled that estimate back to roughly eight acres.
A spokesperson for the South Carolina Forestry Commission, Justin Holt, said that initial estimates are often larger than the fire area itself but are revised as they get a better look at them.
And while the fire currently has a containment line around it, Holt said there are parts that are still active. Because of that, the possibility of upcoming rains could play an important role in keeping it safely confined.
According to Horry County, the fire mostly burned into an area of densely wooded and swampy areas but hadn't initially damaged any other structures aside from the first one. No injuries were reported.
Smoke was also a concern as the fire was burning, with fire crews warning that it could be visible in the area.
The latest information comes as South Carolina begins to steadily move into drought conditions. According to Drought.gov, half of Horry County is currently seeing moderate drought conditions. About 11%, mostly on the northwestern border, is showing signs of severe drought. And all other areas of the county are said to be abnormally dry.
Statewide, the Forestry Commission lists 28 contained fires and two that are active.
