Covington Drive fire remains 55% contained into eighth day of response as Florida team takes command
'This will give SC Forestry Commission firefighters the opportunity to get some much-needed rest and then be available to fight fires back in their home units,' the agency said in a news release.
Still holding at 2,059 acres, crews planned to spend Saturday reinforcing firebreaks, suppressing hot spots and patrolling containment lines.
Horry County spokeswoman Mikayla Moskov said earlier in the day operations are 'moving in a positive direction,' with hot spots primarily inside peat within the Carolina Bays wetlands.
South Carolina, Florida and 11 other states are a part of the Southeastern Forest Fire Compact, which allows for firefighting personnel and resources to be shared across state lines, the Forestry Commission said. Activation of the compact is a common practice employed by forestry agencies throughout the south and across the country to bolster firefighting efforts in areas that are experiencing unusually high or otherwise extraordinary fire activity.
South Carolina Forestry Commission firefighters also go to other states, particularly out west, every year to assist on large wildfire incidents that would otherwise overwhelm local resources. All certified wildland firefighters and incident command system (ICS)-trained personnel, regardless of home state or agency, train to the same standards and under the same framework so that they can fall in seamlessly on any incident.
Georgetown and Horry counties remain under a burn ban.
* * *
Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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