8 rules for unincorporated Horry County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Horry County, backyard fire pits and recreational fires are permitted if contained, monitored and kept clear. The county requires the fire to sit at least 50 feet from any structure and at least 50 feet from any property line, and it must never be left unattended.
Horry County Code of Ordinances § 20-451
The fire must be at least 50 feet from any structure and at least 50 feet from any property line. The fire must be supervised and under control prior to leaving the area.
South Carolina broadly allows consumer (1.4G) fireworks statewide, so most unincorporated Horry County residents may use them on private property with the owner's permission. Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach ban discharge, sale and possession within city limits and on the beach.
S.C. Code Ann. § 23-35-175
It is unlawful to knowingly and wilfully discharge fireworks from, in, or into a Fireworks Prohibited Zone.
Coastal South Carolina has no statewide defensible-space or brush-clearance requirement for homeowners like fire-prone western states. Horry County instead regulates land-clearing burns: that burning must be located at least 1,000 feet from public roadways or residential, commercial or industrial sites.
Horry County Code of Ordinances § 20-451
The location of the burning must be 1,000 feet from public roadways or residential, commercial or industrial sites.
Unincorporated Horry County allows open burning of yard debris, but you must call the SC Forestry Commission (1-800-986-5404) before you light it. Only on-site vegetation, firewood and clean untreated lumber may be burned, with 50-foot setbacks and no active burn ban.
Horry County Code of Ordinances § 20-451
Notify South Carolina Forestry of your burn prior to burning, by calling 1-800-986-5404. Only yard debris, including natural vegetation that originated on-site, firewood and clean, untreated, unfinished lumber can be burned.
South Carolina and Horry County do not designate regulatory wildfire hazard zones (WUI zones) the way California does. There is no special building or vegetation code triggered by a wildfire map. The SC Forestry Commission tracks wildfire risk and issues burn bans, but zoning is advisory.
Horry County follows the statewide 2021 South Carolina Residential Code, which requires smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on each additional story. In new and substantially remodeled homes the alarms must be interconnected and hard-wired with battery backup.
Backyard recreational fires are allowed in unincorporated Horry County when contained and supervised. The fire must stay 50 feet from structures and property lines, and Section 20-451 requires it be supervised and under control before you leave the area. No burning during a county burn ban.
Horry County Code of Ordinances § 20-451
The fire must be supervised and under control prior to leaving the area.
Horry County has no special propane-storage ordinance; it enforces the statewide 2021 SC Fire Code (International Fire Code Chapter 61) and NFPA 58. Practically, a standard 20-pound grill cylinder is fine outdoors, but propane containers may not be stored inside living spaces.
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