PHOTO: Fifteen years ago Monday, the most destructive wildfire in South Carolina history start to burn. What began on April 22, 2009 as a small blaze in a forested area just off Highway 31 would over the next 36 hours grew into a 19,000-acre conflagration that destroyed 76 homes, damaged 97 others and forced the evacuation of 4,000 people. It would be nearly a month before officials had full control of the scene, which caused an estimated $17 million in lost timber and another $25 million from the destroyed homes, mostly around the Barefoot Resort. Fifteen years ago Monday, the most destructive wildfire in South Carolina history start to burn. What began on April 22, 2009 as a small blaze in a forested area just off Highway 31 would over the next 36 hours grew into a 19,000-acre conflagration that destroyed 76 homes, damaged 97 others and forced the evacuation of 4,000 people.

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