Wildfires burning across Georgia and Florida destroy homes and force evacuations | Georgia
Wildfires burning across the southeastern United States were concentrated in parts of southeast Georgia and northeast Florida, where 50 homes were destroyed Wednesday, prompting evacuations and school closures in some communities.
Georgia’s forestry commission has issued the first mandatory burn ban in state history, effective in 91 counties in the lower half of the state, due to worsening drought conditions and increased wildfire activity.
“My office and I are working closely with the Georgia Forestry Commission to respond to the increasing wildfire threat in South Georgia.” Governor Brian Kemp wrote about X. “If you are in a directly affected area, please follow the instructions of your local authorities to keep you and your family safe.”
Smoke from the fires drifted into Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, as well as Jacksonville, Florida, while air quality in parts of South Georgia dropped into the unhealthy category.
Smoky conditions were expected to continue throughout the day in the Atlanta area, with the worst blazes burning more than 200 miles from the city, according to the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency.
Some of the largest fires are reported to be off the coast of Georgia and around Jacksonville, Florida. The long drought, low humidity and strong winds in the region worsened this situation.
Georgia’s two largest wildfires together burned more than 31 square miles, and at least four other smaller fires were reported.
Drought in the contiguous United States has reached record levels for this time of year. More than 61 percent of the lower 48 states are experiencing moderate to exceptional drought, including 97 percent of the Southeast and two-thirds of the West, according to the report. US Drought Monitor. This is the highest drought level at this time of year since drought monitoring began in 2000.
Florida, the region with the worst wildfires, is experiencing an exceptional or extreme drought, according to the monitor. Firefighters are battling 131 wildfires that have burned 34 square miles, mostly in the northern half of the state.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said firefighting equipment is being deployed across the state to place resources closer to fires.
“Florida is experiencing, or beginning to have, perhaps one of the worst fire seasons in the last 30 or 40 years,” Simpson said. “We have been in drought for 18 months all over the state.”
A fast-moving Brantley County fire in southeast Georgia is threatening more homes Wednesday after destroying 47 homes a day earlier, county manager Joey Cason said, as the blaze grew roughly sixfold in half a day. About two dozen fire departments were called to help fight the blaze, Cason said at a news conference Wednesday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said at least 800 evacuations took place in the county and five shelters were opened as the fire threatened another 300 homes.
Brantley County Sheriff Len Davis warned residents to be ready to evacuate, noting that winds could change quickly and unexpectedly.
Another large fire that started in Clinch County has also led to ongoing evacuations in many communities, the Georgia forestry association said.
“This is a serious and evolving situation,” said Tim Lowrimore, president and CEO of the association.
