SC Wildfire Chars 3,000 Acres Near Popular Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) - Firefighters fear another day of strong winds and low humidity could keep spreading a coastal wildfire that has charred thousands of acres and spread smoke over some of the busiest tourist spots in South Carolina.

The fire started Wednesday, destroying a home and forcing dozens to evacuate before winds gusting above 30 mph spread it east. No injuries were reported.

Authorities don't expect to get the blaze under control before sunrise Thursday, when increasing winds are expected to keep the fire burning unpredictably.

Officials say the blaze jumped the busy six-lane Coastal Bays Parkway, stopping not far from the Intracoastal Waterway. Firefighters expect the waterway to act as a natural firebreak, protecting Myrtle Beach.

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