DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Metro Atlanta is under a severe drought.
The hot, dry weather can cause lead to a number of issues. It can affect our food, health and our money, in higher water bills.
Brush fires are also a real threat.
In the past three months, firefighters have responded to 41 percent more fires than in the last five years.
This is Georgia’s worst drought since 2016. Back then, fires popped up DeKalb, Forsyth and Bartow counties. Firefighters needed extra equipment to reach the flames in some of the areas.
Fires during a drought burn a lot hotter for a longer period of time.
The state has a burn ban in effect through September but individual counties may choose to extend that ban in October if drought conditions continue.
Lit debris from fires are the number one cause of wildfires in our state.
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Even if counties don’t extend the burn ban in October, burn permits are always required.
There's a five-step fire danger system used nationally, and right now Georgia is in the four and five categories, which means very high fire danger.