SALUDA COUNTY, SC. () – Local firefighters return home tonight after helping battle the wildfires near Myrtle Beach. We heard the lessons they learned there could help closer to home.

While fires are still ongoing in Myrtle Beach, Mark Lybrand, Fire Service Coordinator in Saluda County, who was there, said they have gotten it to calm down some by the time he and the volunteers came home at 5 Monday morning.

“They’re suppressed to a certain extent right now. They’ve got them where they call blacked out, which is surrounding areas, but I will have to give a shoutout to Myrtle each. Horry County, whoever made that stop to start with, that was tremendous,” said Mark Lybrand, Fire Service Coordinator, Saluda County Fire Service. “Because there was houses 20 ft. away from what was going on and it was coming across the top of the trees.”

Lybrand and three other firefighters from Midlands and Old Town Volunteer Fire Departments in Saluda went to help. Happy to give back after all they did for Saluda during Hurricane Helene.

“They were able to go home and see their families. That was one of the big things that made us feel good, you know. When we had our incident here, they were here within four or five hours to help us. And to be able to go down there and give them a little bit back to go home, see their families, have some rest,” said Lybrand.

Lybrand is proud of the hard work his volunteers have done.

“We’re so proud of our volunteers, three of the guys that went down with us. I mean, they’re all volunteers. They went away from their families. They took time away from their families to go help out. They’re my family now,” said Lybrand.

They have seen around nine fires in their area and want to remind people that fires can quickly turn into something serious in this weather.

“Please take heart in what you’re seeing out there. I mean it’s for real and it can happen to you just as quick as it can happen to them. It’s a real danger and a real concern right now. We’re a widespread rural area; it wouldn’t take much to have the same situation here,” said Lybrand.