WILDFIRE UPDATE: 3/6/25 at 7:15 p.m.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission has updated its containment number of the Covington Drive Fire to 55%, holding the involved acreage to 2,059.
Progress is being made due to the partnership between SCFC, Horry County Fire Rescue crews and the statewide partners who've come to Horry County to help out with their hard work and assistance. We're so appreciative of their help.
Even though it was windy today, efforts were made to reinforce fire break lines with saturation, further efforts to protect structures and grow that containment number.
Aerial water drops have been instrumental in these operations.
The bad thing about the wind is, it can move fire outside of contained areas, but the good news about the wind is it helps show smoke and give us better targets for our strike teams to respond to and work toward containment and extinguishment.
Wind is expected to die down overnight into tomorrow, but smoke is expected to remain visible in the Carolina Forest area.
The burn ban in the unincorporated areas of Horry County will continue to be strictly enforced until further notice.
Carolina Forest Boulevard is busy with its normal traffic, but with response to this nearby wildfire incident, lots of emergency response apparatus will be cycling in and out of neighborhoods near HCFR Station 39 (Carolina Forest). If at all possible, please allow them extra space to move about, as they may be heading to the next reported flare-up.
While appreciated, we ask that you please not drop off donations or donated goods to HCFR Station 39 (Carolina Forest). 
The kindness means so much, but additional items are NOT NEEDED at this time—we’re overstocked at this point. If you feel inclined to donate, please direct your resources to deserving programs and organizations throughout our communities.
HCFR will continue to fly its drones, when possible, to help strategize response from the skies and survey burned areas.
While we agree HCFR's personnel—and all the assisting public safety personnel—are exemplary in their response to this large-scale wildfire incident, these operations are also propped up by countless others, and in Horry County, specifically, the many departments of Horry County Government that keep daily functions moving forward smoothly. 
As HCFR has focused lots of its staffing and resources in the Carolina Forest area, there are many other emergencies being handled throughout the rest of Horry County—more than 300 dispatched calls per day since this wildfire incident began. We appreciate our #PublicSafetyPartners in Horry County 911 SO MUCH.
#HCFR