Haralson County: No water, now fires

HARALSON COUNTY, Ga. - Haralson county officials are looking for an arsonist after a number of brush fires. The county is already facing a water shortage, now they have to fight fires with the little water that's left.

There have been 11 brush fires in two weeks. Six of the fires were in one day. This is dangerous enough, but it’s even more extreme in Haralson County where their main water supply, the Tallapoosa River, is drying up.

It's been a hot summer with very little rain. The Tallapoosa is at its lowest level in almost 100 years. Haralson is forced to buy water from Alabama and neighboring counties. There's a total water ban. Car washes are closed; firefighters have to rely on tanker trucks instead of using hydrants.

Everyday crews go into the river to try to clear debris and beaver dams to keep the water level above the intake pipes. Now that some of that water is being sued to douse flames, that officials said have been deliberately set, the situation has become even direr.

“It's costing extra water that we wouldn't have to use. Water is very precious in Haralson County,” said Fire Chief Brian Walker.

Fire officials said they don't have any leads on who might be starting these fires, and they're asking anyone who sees anything suspicious to report it.