Myrtle Beach woman arrested for allegedly starting 2,000-plus acre wildfire

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A woman is facing charges for allegedly starting the wildfire that damaged more than 2,000 acres near Myrtle Beach.

Authorities say Alexandra Bialousow, 40, has been charged for not taking the proper precautions to prevent the fire she started in a fire pit from spreading.

Bialousow was charged on March 6th with negligently allowing fire to spread to lands or property of another and starting a fire in woodlands, grasslands, and other places unlawful unless certain precautions are taken.

Witnesses told law enforcement officials they saw Bialousow intentionally start a fire in a backyard fire pit that was in close proximity to a tree line within Covington Lakes Subdivision on March 1st.

According to the arrest warrant, the suspect “did not have an appropriate water source readily available,” nor did she “have any garden tools on hand to control the fire, thus allowing the fire to
spread to land owned by Walker Woods HOA. This incident was witnessed by several neighbors.”

If convicted, Bialousow faces possible imprisonment and fines related to the escaped debris burn alleged to have started the Covington Drive Fire.