The main purpose of this ongoing blog will be to track planetary extreme, or record temperatures related to climate change. Any reports I see of ETs will be listed below the main topic of the day. I’ll refer to extreme or record temperatures as ETs (not extraterrestrials).😉
Main Topic: Wildfires Strike the Carolinas
Dear Diary. Severe wildfire problems are not confined to just California across the United States in this day and age of climate change…oh no sir. Above average warmth combined with dry weather can produce conditions just right for conflagrations that are historically the first ever experienced in some areas of our nation.
Case in point over the weekend was portions of the Carolinas. These fires are heartbreaking to report since they are close to my home state of Georgia, having traveled through this area during my lifetime. Here are more details from the Washington Post. (For videos not reposted, hit the following link.):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2025/03/02/carolinas-wildfires-evacuations
Wildfires in the Carolinas prompt a state of emergency, evacuations
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) declared a state of emergency Sunday afternoon as wildfires raged across 4,200 acres in the state.
Updated March 2, 2025 at 8:53 p.m. EST
By Anumita Kaur and Ariana Eunjung Cha
Wildfires raged across North and South Carolina on Sunday, compelling officials to temporarily order evacuations near Myrtle Beach and in the Blue Ridge Mountains as dry and windy conditions whipped up flames over the weekend.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) declared a state of emergency Sunday afternoon to rally resources as more than 175 wildfires claimed about 4,200 acres, mostly in the Pee Dee region in the northeast corner of the state.
“While a majority of the current wildfire activity is concentrated in the Pee Dee region, the rest of the state is experiencing a dramatic uptick in wildfires, straining the capacity of Forestry Commission firefighters and local emergency response personnel to respond,” said Darryl Jones, forest protection chief for the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
The largest fire endangered Carolina Forest, a community of about 23,000 just northwest of Myrtle Beach. Videos taken by residents showed a fiery orange haze blocking out the sky and strong winds whipping between homes.
That fire stood at 1,600 acres and was 30 percent contained as of Sunday evening, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Evacuation orders have been lifted for all neighborhoods, though residents can expect to see first responders in the affected areas for an extended period of time, the Horry County Fire Rescue said. More than 400 firefighting personnel were battling the inferno.
Doug Wood, a spokesman for the state forestry commission, said the agency issued a statewide red flag fire alert Friday, noting that the low humidity, gusty winds and dry landscape created dangerous wildfire conditions. So far, there are no known deaths, injuries or reports of structure damage, Wood said.
“This state of emergency ensures that our first responders, who are working tirelessly and risking their lives to protect our communities from these wildfires, have the resources they need,” McMaster, the governor, said, adding that a statewide burning ban would remain in effect until further notice.
In western North Carolina, emergency crews in Polk County on the state’s southern border with South Carolina battled a major fire in the Blue Ridge Mountains stretching 400 to 500 acres. As of Sunday evening, it was still zero percent contained, according to the North Carolina Forest Service.
“Fire operations will continue throughout the day and night. … There will continue to be heavy smoke in the area, and we continue to ask for everyone to please avoid these areas so emergency crews can work safely,” the North Carolina Forest Service said.
Polk County Emergency Management had warned of dangerous conditions Friday, urging residents to be on alert until further notice.
Separately, multiple wildfires spread to nearly 500 acres in four national forests — Croatan, Nantahala, Uwharrie and Pisgah — scattered across the state. The U.S. Forest Service said firefighters “are constructing new containment lines, reinforcing existing ones, conducting aerial reconnaissance and using mechanized equipment to manage heavy fuel loads.”
While wildfires have become a persistent, looming threat in the American West, eastern states also face growing fire risks.
More fires spread across the eastern United States in 2024 than in all of 2023 — a year that had already seen 56 percent more acreage burned compared to an average year, The Washington Post has reported.
Eastern states, like the Carolinas this weekend, are more often seeing the kind of weather that can ignite flames. These regions often have less fire preparations, and have more lives and structures at risk.
Scott Dance contributed to this report.
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By Anumita KaurAnumita Kaur is a general assignment reporter for The Washington Post, where she covers breaking news and writes of-the-moment features. She has previously reported for the Los Angeles Times and Guam Pacific Daily News. follow on X@anumitakaur
By Ariana Eunjung Cha Ariana Eunjung Cha is a national reporter. She has previously served as The Post’s bureau chief in Shanghai and San Francisco, and as a correspondent in Baghdad.follow on X@arianaeunjung
Related:
Here are more “ETs” recorded from around the planet the last couple of days, their consequences, and some extreme temperature outlooks, as well as any extreme precipitation reports:
Here is more new February 2025 and Winter 2024/25 climatology (summer for Southern Hemisphere):
Here is More Climate News from Monday:
(As usual, this will be a fluid post in which more information gets added during the day as it crosses my radar, crediting all who have put it on-line. Items will be archived on this site for posterity. In most instances click on the pictures of each tweet to see each article. The most noteworthy items will be listed first.)