ATLANTA — The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency is helping to coordinate the response to two big wildfires burning in South Georgia.
There are currently about 1,000 homes in the line of those fires.
Gov. Brian Kemp declared a State of Emergency on Wednesday for 91 South Georgia counties as the wildfires rage on and continue to threaten lives, homes, and the timber industry.
“It’s just the worst conditions you could possibly have right now to be fighting fires,” Kemp said.
The Georgia Forestry Commission also issued a mandatory burn ban on Wednesday – the first in the state’s history.
“It’s so dry and so hot. The fire’s burning all the way up to the top of the tree. So even if you have a fire break on the ground, the treetops are burning, treetop to treetop, or the wind’s burning embers as much as a mile away and starting another fire, which has caused this to grow so much and make it very difficult to contain,” Kemp said.
The Pineland Fire east of Valdosta, and the Highway 82 Fire east of Waycross continue to burn.
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It’s so hot and dangerous, Kemp said, fire officials have had to pull firefighters off the line to keep them safe.
The emergency declaration helps the state get much-needed resources into these areas. Kemp has also alerted FEMA, which will also send assets to help.
FEMA authorized the funds and resources late Wednesday afternoon to help battle the fires.
Kemp warned that unless the weather changes soon, we could see more forced evacuations.
“We’ve had dozens and dozens of homes that have been either damaged or destroyed, other structures, but there’s also a thousand homes we believe right now that are in harm’s way or potentially could be in the next 72 hours,” Kemp said.
Kemp is hoping that the rain expected to move through Georgia over the weekend will help with the firefight.