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Heavy rain not ‘nearly enough’ to tame two wildfires in drought-stricken Georgia
TL;DR
Heavy rain has slowed two major wildfires in Georgia, but it is insufficient to extinguish them. The Pineland Road fire has destroyed over 35 homes, while the Highway 82 fire has affected at least 87 homes and remains only 6% contained.
Key points
- Heavy rain slowed progress of two wildfires in Georgia
- Pineland Road fire destroyed over 35 homes
- Highway 82 fire is only 6% contained
- Drought conditions have worsened the wildfires
- Hurricane Helene left highly combustible vegetation
Mentioned in this story
GeorgiaFlorida
Heavy rain slowed the progress of two sprawling southern Georgia wildfires over the weekend, allowing crews to make some progress in containing the blazes that have destroyed more than 100 homes.
Although the rain helped the firefighting efforts, it wasn’t “nearly enough to put the fires out” and crews responded to 10 new blazes throughout the drought-stricken state Sunday, the Georgia Forestry Commission said Monday.
The biggest blaze, the Pineland Road fire, has scorched more than 50 sq miles (130sq km) and at least 35 homes in a sparsely populated and heavily wooded part of the state about 35 miles (56km) north of Florida, which is also dealing with wildfires. The area has been full of highly combustible dead trees and other vegetation since Hurricane Helene carved a destructive path northward in September of 2024.
The second-biggest, the Highway 82 fire, has been burning since 20 April about 60 miles (97km) to the north-east. It has destroyed at least 87 homes and torched more than 35 sq miles (90 sq km), according to figures released Monday. It is only 6% contained.
“The fire basically doubled last night in size,” said Joey Cason, the Brantley county manager, in a Facebook post on Sunday. “It is a dynamic fire event that will be impacted by the wind.”
Authorities believe the Highway 82 blaze was sparked by a foil balloon hitting live power lines. That created an electrical arc that ignited combustible material on the ground. They think the Pineland Road fire was started by sparks from a welding operation.
An unusually large number of wildfires are burning this spring across the south-east. Firefighters have been battling more than 150 other wildfires in Georgia and Florida alone.
Scientists say the threat of fire has been amplified by a combination of extreme drought, gusty winds, the climate crisis and dead trees and other vegetation.
No fire deaths or injuries have been reported in Georgia. But in northern Florida, Nassau county sheriff’s office volunteer firefighter James “Kevin” Crews died on Thursday evening after he had an unspecified medical emergency while suppressing a brush fire.
Q&A
What is the current status of the Pineland Road fire in Georgia?
The Pineland Road fire has scorched over 50 square miles and destroyed at least 35 homes, with crews making some progress in containment.
How many homes have been destroyed by the Highway 82 fire in Georgia?
The Highway 82 fire has destroyed at least 87 homes and has burned more than 35 square miles.
What caused the wildfires in Georgia to become so severe?
The wildfires have been exacerbated by drought conditions and the presence of highly combustible dead vegetation left by Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
