The Carolina Forest Wildfire ignited on the 3rd of March 2025 in Horry County, South Carolina and Myrtle Beach. Including all these around 175 wildfires across the state resulted in declaring a state of emergency. Moreover, wildfires in North Carolina also spread in different parts and areas. These fires not only threaten homes and wildlife but the Carolina wildfire and air pollution also come together.

Dangerous smoke from wildfires can affect the health of millions of residents. Here is how wildfires have affected the air quality levels in Carolina. You can check the AQI levels of the nearby areas and data trends that show changes. Besides, the striking contradiction with another coastal area with constant highest AQI levels without any wildfire. So let’s dive into how air quality levels changed.

Carolina Wildfire and Air Pollution Spike: 

The air quality in the coastal areas mostly remained in good air quality. It is all thanks to the sea breezes that remove the pollutants. However, the forest fire this month increased the AQI levels from the “Good” to the “Moderate” category. Here’s the data for the last 24 hours in different areas of North Carolina and South Carolina: 

Castle H North Carolina 24hrs AQI levels after the wildfire
  • Castle H, NC & Murraysville, NC – Typically AQI levels in Castle remain in the “Good” category and around 20 to 30. However, today AQI levels reached above 50 as 53 in the “Moderate” category. Similarly, AQI levels in Murraysville recorded in the “Moderate” category. 
Parklane AQI levels after South Carolina wildfires
  • Parklane, South Carolina: The AQI levels in South Carolina mostly remained in the “Good” category and below 30. But AQI levels on 5th March crossed 50 and reached 65 in the “Moderate” category. 
Florence, South Carolina AQI levels for the last 24 hours after wildfire
  • Florence: The AQI levels increased from 25 to 55 on 5th March affecting the air quality. 

This shift highlights how even relatively clean areas are vulnerable to sudden air quality changes caused by natural disasters.

Can air pollution due to the Carolina wildfire affect the health of any resident?

Yes, the Carolina wildfire impacted the air quality slightly. However, even a slight shift in the AQI levels can result in health issues. Suppose a person always stays in a clean environment with clean air and suddenly AQI levels increase. It can result in many health issues. More importantly, health issues depend on the exposure time to air pollution. Long-term air pollution exposure can result in severe health conditions. However short-term air pollution is also harmful and can result in allergies, breathing issues or some more risks for sensitive groups including children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with respiratory problems. 

Here let us know the possible health issues due to the increase in Carolina’s AQI levels: 

  • Respiratory problems: Wildfires increase the fine particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10 levels in the air. Inhaling the high PM2.5 levels can irritate the lungs and airways and cause asthma symptoms. 
  • Eye and throat irritations: Inhaling smoke caused by the forest fire can result in sore throat, burning eyes, and airways and lead to persistent coughing. 
  • High chances of heart attack: exposure to high AQI levels for the long term can increase the chances of having a heart attack or can affect pre-existing conditions. 
  • More fatigue and Dizziness: Wildfires release many toxic gases and pollutants that can impair and reduce the oxygen supply in the bloodstream and to the organs that can result in more fatigue and dizziness. 

Wildfires vs Everyday condition in some regions: The Irony

The Carolina may have witnessed the air quality decline for a few days but some locations experienced higher AQI levels without any wildfire. Yes, South and North Carolina are a coastal region, similarly, the west coast of India as Mumbai and nearby locations record higher AQI levels. Despite no wildfires, the coastal areas of Mumbai as Juhu, Bandra and more have high AQI levels. 

It means the residents of these areas are experiencing more air pollution than the people living near the forest wildfire locations. Here let us compare the AQI levels of 24 hours of Castle H of North Carolina and Mumbai:

comparison of Mumbai, India and Castle H, South Carolina AQI levels

In Comparison, the AQI situation in Mumbai is really thought-provoking as these urban areas face AQI levels above 150 and are in the “Unhealthy” category. Even though Castle H, NC and Mumbai, Maharashtra both are coastal areas. 

But what is the irony here? Air quality conditions in Carolina are temporary as soon as the AQI levels will improve. However, the situation of AQI levels in urban areas like Mumbai is not temporary. It underscores that without even forest wildfires, the air quality levels are worse and affecting millions of lives every day. 

Final thoughts: 

Wildfires can affect the air quality even in regions where usually air quality remains at good levels. But air pollution is not just about the wildfires as urban areas constantly facing poor levels that affect their lives. Now, monitoring AQI is not just an option it is a need that can help in taking protective measures like masks and air purifiers to protect everyone. Carolina wildfires and air pollution should be a reminder to cities that breathe pollution every day without the actual fire.