South Carolina Statehouse Blog

Columbia, S.C. - April 28, 2009 - Governor Sanford today rescinded the State of Emergency issued last week for Horry County, as the state Forestry Commission has now reported 100 percent containment of the fire.

The fire consumed almost 20,000 acres in Horry County near North Myrtle Beach, destroying 76 homes and damaging dozens more. Governor Sanford today thanked responders at the local and state level for their work in fighting the blaze.

“In the midst of what is an incredible tragedy for dozens of families in Horry County, I think it’s nonetheless important to stop for a minute and recognize the bravery and dedication of the folks who responded to this disaster,” Gov. Sanford said. “Not only did firefighters in Horry County answer the call, but I was struck by the degree to which other firefighters from counties across the state did so as well. The same holds true at the state level, as a number of agencies worked with Forestry, the National Guard and the Emergency Management Division to put forward what proved to be a remarkable team effort. As our thoughts and prayers continue for those impacted by this fire, it’s important that we all also give thanks for the men and women of our state who answered duty’s call in fighting the fire and giving aid to those affected, and for those neighborhood heroes who went literally door-to-door to make sure their neighbors were out of harm’s way.”

Forestry is still on the scene managing and controlling the fire, as “hot spots” and smoke are expected to continue for several days as the fire is extinguished.