South Georgia fires grow to more than 55K acres, limited containment
Credit: Georgia Forestry Commission
ATLANTA - Wildfires in South Georgia continued to expand early Monday despite recent rainfall, according to the latest update from the Georgia Forestry Commission.
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What we know:
The Highway 82 Fire in Brantley County grew by roughly 2,000 acres overnight, bringing the total to more than 22,600 acres. Officials say the fire remains only about 6% contained.
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Meanwhile, the Pineland Road Fire near Valdosta has grown to more than 32,500 acres and is about 10% contained.
Evacuation orders are now in place for parts of western Glynn County, though officials say those areas do not include Brunswick or St. Simons Island.
State forestry officials said crews responded to 10 new wildfires across Georgia on Sunday, burning nearly 20 additional acres. Those fires are separate from the two major blazes burning in south Georgia.
Officials say rain fell over some of the fire zones, but it was not enough to extinguish the flames. However, the added moisture could help slow fire activity and give crews an opportunity to make progress.
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Authorities continue to urge residents to avoid active fire areas, keep drones out of restricted airspace, and remain alert for smoke and reduced visibility on roadways.
For Brantley County, the current evacuation area includes all areas and roads inside this boundary:
- North: Highway 32
- South: Highway 82
- West: Highway 110
- East: Post Road
All homes, roads, and properties within these boundaries are under evacuation.
By the numbers:
The Highway 82 fire in Brantley County is impacting the communities of Atkinson and Waynesville. The fire began on April 20.
Resources:
- 410 Personnel
- 7 Type 1 Helicopters
- 1 Type 3 helicopter
- 4 crews
- 25 Type 1 engines
- 17 Type 6 engines
- 3 Tractor Plows
- 20 Dozers
What's next:
The FOX 5 Atlanta Storm Team says additional rain is expected over the next couple of days, which could further help firefighting efforts. At this time, officials do not expect significant smoke impacts in metro Atlanta due to wind patterns.