Alexandra Bialousow, 40, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has been arrested after allegedly starting a 2,059-acre wildfire. Reports indicate the fire started from a backyard fire pit and spread rapidly. She is charged with endangering numerous lives and homes, NBC reported.
Bialousow was arrested Thursday on charges of negligently allowing a fire to spread and igniting a fire in woodlands, grasslands, or other areas without proper precautions, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
Witnesses reported seeing her start a fire on Sunday in a backyard fire pit near a tree line in the Covington Lakes Subdivision. The arrest warrant states that she “did not have an appropriate water source readily available” or any garden tools to control the flames, allowing the fire to spread to land owned by the Walker Woods HOA.
That fire escalated into the still-active Covington Drive Fire near Myrtle Beach, one of the largest among the 175-plus wildfires that have burned across the state in the past week, officials said.
As of Saturday afternoon, the fire was 55% contained. No major injuries have been reported.
Abnormally dry conditions have fueled wildfires across South Carolina, burning over 4,000 acres and prompting evacuations. In response, Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Sunday, maintaining a statewide burning ban. “Those who violate this ban will be subject to criminal prosecution,” he said.
Bialousow is scheduled to appear in Horry County court on April 15. If convicted, she faces up to 30 days in jail or fines for each charge. Neither she nor the Myrtle Beach Police Department immediately responded to requests for comment.