A wildfire burning in neighboring Marion County expanded to 1,750 acres by Tuesday afternoon, sending a thick plume of smoke drifting west into Horry County and prompting an air quality alert for Grand Strand residents [WBTW, 2026]. The fire itself remains outside Horry County lines, but its smoke is now the story here. Residents are being advised to stay indoors due to the Marion County wildfire smoke Horry County affecting air quality.
State fire officials list the blaze as 60 percent contained, down from full containment just days earlier after the fire reignited Monday night [WPDE, 2026]. Crews face boggy terrain, limited access, and drought-dry fuel — conditions expected to keep the fire burning for days.
Marion County Wildfire Smoke Horry County: An Ongoing Concern
Where the Fire Is Burning
The Marion-Woodbury Road fire sits inside the Woodbury Wildlife Management Area in Marion County, managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources [SC Forestry Commission, 2026]. It is not a Horry County fire.
The blaze traces back to a prescribed burn conducted in early March by SC DNR inside the management area. That burn reignited Monday night, April 13, after drought conditions and dry fuels allowed sub-surface material to flare back to life [WMBF, 2026].
Two other wildfires are burning in Aiken and Fairfield counties at the same time, stretching state firefighting resources across multiple fronts [SC Forestry Commission, 2026].
How It Grew So Fast
The fire jumped from roughly 200 acres to 1,750 acres in a single day as winds and dry vegetation fed the flames [WBTW, 2026]. Bulldozer crews struggled to cut fire lines through swampy ground that resists heavy equipment.
To slow the advance, the SC Forestry Commission ran a large burnout operation Monday night — intentionally burning fuel ahead of the main fire to starve it. Officials call the approach standard practice on fires where direct attack is not possible.
Roy Lawrimore, a Marion County resident, evacuated with his wife late Monday as conditions worsened. “Last night we were staying in and at about 11 or 12 o’clock it started getting really heavy,” he said [WPDE, 2026].
The commission warns that sub-surface smoldering is likely to continue for an extended period, making this a prolonged concern rather than a single-day event.
Smoke Settles Over Horry County: Marion County Wildfire Smoke Horry County an air quality concern.
Residents across Conway, Aynor, and Loris reported visible smoke and a pungent odor by Tuesday morning [WBTW, 2026]. A plume was clearly visible drifting across the Little Pee Dee River from Punch Bowl Landing, moving in from the west.
Horry County Schools notified parents of the smoke and adjusted operations at some campuses. Horry County Fire Rescue asked residents to report open flames but not smoke alone.
We encourage people to call Horry County 911 when they observe actual flames, but the presence of smoke is likely from this Marion County fire, which crews are monitoring,” the agency said [WMBF, 2026].
The county’s outdoor burning ban remains in effect across unincorporated Horry County, and officials are urging residents not to add any new ignition sources to the landscape.
Health Guidance and Air Quality Alert
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services issued an Air Quality Alert in effect through Wednesday, April 15, covering Horry County and surrounding areas [SC Department of Environmental Services, 2026]. The alert targets sensitive groups — children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with heart or lung conditions.
Residents are advised to keep windows and doors closed, limit outdoor activity during heavy smoke periods, and run air conditioning with fresh-air intakes closed to prevent outside smoke from cycling indoors.
Justin Turner, Marion County Emergency Management Director, said the smoke “doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals” and poses “no health concerns” because it comes from burning vegetation rather than commercial structures [WPDE, 2026]. Even so, wood smoke carries fine particulate matter that can aggravate asthma and other respiratory conditions, which is why the state alert remains in place.
One Horry County resident described the smell across parts of the county simply as “pungent .
Outlook and What to Watch
Drought conditions across the Pee Dee region show no sign of easing. Forecasters give only a slight chance of rain Sunday — not enough to meaningfully dampen the fire or clear the air [WMBF, 2026].
Smoke is expected to blanket ground level during morning hours throughout the week as cool, stable air traps the plume near the surface before daytime heating lifts it [WBTW, 2026]. Mornings will likely bring the worst visibility and the strongest odor in Horry County.
Residents should expect the burning ban to remain in effect, monitor air quality updates from the state, and report any new flames — not smoke — to 911. Until soaking rain reaches the Pee Dee, the Marion-Woodbury Road fire will continue to shape the air Horry County breathes.
Further Reading on Marion County Wildfire Smoke Horry County
– WBTW — Marion County wildfire grows to 1,750 acres, continues sending pungent smoke into neighboring Horry County Marion County Wildfire Smoke Horry County: https://www.wbtw.com/news/pee-dee/marion-county/marion-county-wildfire-grows-to-1750-acres-continues-sending-pungent-smoke-into-neighboring-horry-county/amp/
– WPDE — Marion-Woodbury Road fire grows to 1,750 acres, lingering smoke across Horry County Marion County Wildfire Smoke Horry County: https://wpde.com/news/local/marion-woodbury-road-fire-grows-to-1750-acres-size-lingering-smoke-across-horry-county-blaze-conditions-size-contained-south-carolina-forestry-comission
– WMBF — Marion County wildfire expands to 1,750 acres: Marion County Wildfire Smoke Horry County https://www.wmbfnews.com/2026/04/14/marion-county-wildfire-expands-1750-acres/
– WPDE — Smoke carried to Horry County from contained wildfire in Marion County: Marion County Wildfire Smoke Horry County https://wpde.com/news/local/smoke-carried-to-horry-co-from-contained-wildfire-in-marion-county-mornings-monitoring-check-200
