Editor’s note: This article was updated on April 22 at 7 p.m.
More than 20,000 acres are burning uncontrolled across Southeast Georgia, forcing authorities to declare a state of emergency and mandatory evacuations amid severe drought conditions.
Farmers and residents of Brantley County left home for a second night after spreading blazes destroyed at least 54 dwellings, according to county manager Joey Cason. Brantley County has set up shelter sites for displaced residents, yet local officials warned that containment, both in Brantley and Clinch counties have likely dropped under 10% after strengthening winds have fanned flames.
“This thing is a very dynamic situation,” Cason said after a day of watching the fires spread. “Within five minutes, it went from smoke to a fire.”
The Pinelands Road fire in Clinch County that started over the weekend near the Florida border has since spread to around 17,000 acres. In Brantley, at least 5,000 acres were burning, according to Cason.
Firefighters from 22 stations on Wednesday had converged to help fight the blazes that have fed on dry pine trees and that closed parts of Highway 82, Cason said. Rangers from the Georgia Forestry Commission were focused on building fire breaks to contain the threat.
Emergency officials told residents in the two counties, especially those with pets, livestock, medical needs or mobility challenges, to leave the area. Highway 32 was recommended as the safest evacuation route as of Wednesday evening.
Given the drought conditions across southern Georgia, officials have put 91 counties under a burn ban as of Wednesday. That area includes counties below metro Atlanta, running from Harris County in the west to Columbia County in the east and throughout all of Coastal Georgia.
Gov. Brian Kemp, meanwhile has authorized the Georgia Forestry Commission to mobilize all resources to help with wildfire response efforts.
“With much of Georgia remaining in extreme drought conditions, wildfires have already surpassed the state’s 5-year average and continue to spread,” Kemp said. “We are praying for the families who have lost their homes in these devastating conditions, as well as for the first responders working around the clock.”
Smoke from the wildfires has threatened air quality in large swathes of the state, from nearby Brunswick to Macon and Columbus. Hazy, smoky air has reached as far north as Atlanta, downgrading the air quality there to moderate, meaning it could be risky to some people.
“This is a serious and evolving situation,” said Tim Lowrimore, president & CEO of the Georgia Forestry Association, in a statement on the group’s Facebook page. “We urge all Georgians to remain vigilant. Preventing additional fires right now is critical as responders work to manage this emergency.”
The Pinelands Road fire in Clinch County was one of 52 that started in just two days, April 18 and 19. Rainfall and water levels are far below normal across the state, increasing fire risk.
While it’s common for fires to start in Georgia forests due to lightning strikes, stray cigarettes, sparks from backyard fires and a number of other causes. But normally, thanks to forest management and plenty of rain, most don’t burn very far. Officials say this year is different.
“Under drought conditions, we have that much less water available either in the water table or in our swamps, ditches, drains, lakes,” said state forester Johnny Sabo. “So the wildfires can spread more rapidly.”
A large swath of South Georgia is in an Exceptional Drought, the driest category under the federal drought monitoring system. Much of the rest of the state is in Extreme Drought, the next level down. Local governments are imposing burn bans, asking people not to light any fires outdoors. It’s critical Georgians heed those warnings, Sabo said.
“That is our number one cause of wildfires in the state are humans, unfortunately — people being careless,” he said.
Beyond the current drought, Georgia’s wildfire risk could also increase in the coming years because of the recent closures of several paper mills.
Foresters keep fire risk down by clearing out smaller trees so others can grow tall. But those small trees are typically turned into paper products. Without the mills to buy them, industry experts worry landowners won’t clear them.
“You’ll get more standing timber or downed timber that’s dead and incredibly flammable,” said Erin Lincoln, director of the Center for Forest Business at UGA.
Many Georgia forests also still have downed trees from Hurricane Helene, she said, providing more potential fuel for large fires.
This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WABE and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.
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