Wildfire in South Carolina expands to rural areas

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Officials said a wildfire in South Carolina has expanded to rural areas, while other southeast states work to contain fires spread across the region.

The South Carolina Forestry Commission said that while the Pinnacle Mountain Fire expanded to rural areas, it does not pose an immediate threat to structures or local residents.

"Officials estimate the fire has grown at least an additional 500 acres today to an approximate total of 6,000 acres," the agency said in a Facebook post.

The U.S. government's Incident Information System indicates active wildfires in the southeastern United States have largely been limited to North Carolina and Georgia.

In North Carolina, evacuations due to the Party Rock Fire in Buncombe, Henderson, and Rutherford Counties were canceled on Monday but state environmental officials said air quality will be unhealthy in most of western part of the state. The Party Rock Fire, the cause of which is yet to be determined, is 45 percent contained as of Monday afternoon after burning 7,171 acres.

The largest wildfire in North Carolina, the Tellico Fire, which was caused by humans, was 91 percent contained as of Monday night after burning 13,874 acres.

The North Carolina Forest Service on Monday issued a burning ban in 22 western counties to "protect lives and property." The ban will be in effect until further notice.

"Under North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning in the affected counties, regardless of whether a permit was issued," he North Carolina Forest Service said in a statement. "The issuance of any new permits also has been suspended until the ban is lifted."

In Georgia, there are three active wildfires -- all of which within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. The largest fire in the state, the Rough Ridge Fire, which was caused naturally by lightning, was 55 percent contained as of Monday after burning 27,870 acres.

The Rock Mountain Fire in Georgia, which humans are blamed for causing, was 30 percent contained as of Monday night after burning 12,779 acres.

The regional fires have burned more than 120,000 acres of land in eight states. About 6,300 firefighters, some brought in from states not affected such as California, fought the flames. About 70 percent of the fires in Tennessee are suspected of being started by arsonists.

"We obviously are very concerned about fires in Tennessee, particularly the fact that it looks like the majority of them were set by arsonists," Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said on Monday. "I can assure you we're going to pursue those folks with everything they can because the impact on our communities is huge."

Tennessee has spent an estimated $5.5 million fighting the flames.