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After destroying more than 120 homes, wildfires still a danger, Georgia officials say
TL;DR
Two wildfires in southeastern Georgia have destroyed over 120 homes and continue to threaten lives as strong winds are expected to spread the flames. The Highway 82 fire, which started from a foil balloon, is only 10% contained.
Key points
- Two wildfires threaten property and lives in Georgia
- Over 120 homes have been destroyed
- Highway 82 fire is the most destructive in state history
- Fire started from a foil balloon hitting power lines
- Fire is only 10% contained and perimeter is over 14.8 sq miles
Mentioned in this story
GeorgiaBrian Kemp
Highway 82 fire
Two wildfires in south-eastern Georgia that have destroyed more than 120 homes continued to threaten property and lives on Saturday as officials warned that strong winds could spread the flames.
The Brantley county manager, Joey Cason, called it a “dynamic situation” in a Saturday-morning video posted to social media and begged residents to “please evacuate” if they are ordered to do so.
“This fire is going to move rapidly, once these winds get here later today,” he said.
The Highway 82 fire has been burning since Monday and has destroyed at least 87 homes. Georgia’s governor, Brian Kemp, said on Friday that is the most for a single wildfire in the state’s history.
The fire was started by a foil balloon hitting live power lines. That created an electrical arc that ignited combustible material on the ground. An infrared flight that detects heat was conducted overnight on Friday, helping officials to better map the fire. A Saturday news release said the fire’s perimeter is more than 14.8 sq miles (38.3 sq km), and it is only about 10% contained.
Meanwhile, a second fire about 70 miles (113km) to the south-west in Clinch and Echols counties, near the Florida state line, has burned more than 46.9 sq miles (121.5 sq km) and destroyed at least 35 homes. Started by sparks from a welding operation, that wildfire was also about 10% contained as of midday on Saturday.
Firefighters have been battling more than 150 other wildfires in Georgia and Florida that have sent smoky haze into places far from the flames, triggering air quality warnings for some cities.
An unusually large number of wildfires are burning this spring across the south-eastern US. Scientists say the threat of fire has been amplified by a combination of extreme drought, gusty winds, climate change and dead trees still littering some forests after being toppled by Hurricane Helene in 2024.
In northern Florida, the Nassau county sheriff’s office volunteer firefighter James “Kevin” Crews died on Thursday evening after he suffered an unspecified medical emergency while suppressing a brush fire. No fire deaths or injuries have been reported in Georgia.
Q&A
What caused the wildfires in Georgia?
The wildfires were ignited by a foil balloon hitting live power lines, creating an electrical arc that ignited combustible material.
How many homes have been destroyed by the Georgia wildfires?
More than 120 homes have been destroyed by the wildfires in southeastern Georgia.
What is the current containment status of the Highway 82 fire?
The Highway 82 fire is currently only about 10% contained.
