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Gov. Kemp surveys South Georgia wildfire damage
Firefighters and state officials are working to contain two massive wildfires in South Georgia that have burned over 55,000 acres and destroyed dozens of buildings.
ECHOLS COUNTY, Ga. - Gov. Brian Kemp surveyed the damage Tuesday as crews are working to contain two massive wildfires in South Georgia that have burned over 55,000 acres and destroyed dozens of buildings.
What we know:
Georgia National Guard helicopters are using large buckets to drop water on the flames as hundreds of crew members work on the ground.
Gov. Kemp said that while a small amount of rain helped crews gain some ground, they are "definitely not out of the woods."
The Pineland Road fire in Clinch County is currently 23% contained, while the Highway 82 fire in Brantley County is 32% contained. Crews are now shifting their focus from an aerial attack to using more ground resources to battle the flames in areas with heavy fuel.
"I start getting more comfortable when we start hitting 90 percent, right? So we have a long way to go, and I just want to stress that, but once again, it's just a lot of hard work, long days, long nights," said Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo.
What we don't know:
It is currently unclear exactly how many people remain evacuated from their homes or what specific cause started either of the two fires.
What's next:
Some residents living near Highway 110 in Brantley County were allowed to return to their homes Tuesday, but officials are asking everyone in the area to remain vigilant as they wait for more rain.
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The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Rey Llerena, who spoke with fire crews and state officials on the scene in South Georgia, as well as a press conference held by Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo.