Carolina Forest resident arrested on fire-related charges

If convicted, Alexandra Bialousow (above) faces possible imprisonment and fines related to the escaped debris burn alleged to have started the Covington Drive Fire, per the SCFC (South Carolina Forestry Commission).

South Carolina Forestry Commission

(WPDE) — A woman was arrested on Thursday afternoon in Horry County for charges related to negligently allowing a fire to spread.

Alexandra Anna Bialousow was arrested and charged for regulation of fires on certain lands, first offense, and negligently allowing fire to spread to lands of another.

According to the Horry County Public Index, Bialousow is a Carolina Forest resident and lives on Covington Drive.

The 2,059-acre wildfire was first reported in the area of Covington Drive on Saturday.

According to the South Carolina Forestry Commission, Bialousow is accused of not taking the proper precautions to prevent debris burn from escaping into “lands of another.”

Witnesses reported seeing Bialousow intentionally start a fire in a backyard firepit that was close to a tree line in the Covington Lakes subdivision, according to the release.

The arrest warrant states that Bialousow did not have an appropriate water source available or garden tools to control the fire. The release says that because of this, the fire spread to land owned by Walker Woods HOA.

Several neighbors witnessed the incident, according to the SCFC release.

On Thursday, Feb. 27, Horry County Government issued a burn ban due to extreme fire danger. That burn ban currently remains in place.

Public records show that she is still in custody at J. Reuben Long Detention Center and currently has no bail set as of Friday morning.

Bialousow has a bond hearing scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday.

ABC15 has requested the report for Bialousow’s arrest and is working for you to find out more details regarding the charges.