BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. — As south Georgia heats back up, firefighters and residents wait to see if wildfires intensify.
Fire officials warned this morning that Wednesday could be the worst weather conditions since two wildfires started burning earlier this month.
Channel 2’s Michael Doudna has been in south Georgia as crews battle the fire for several days.
The Pineland and Hwy. 82 fires have combined to burn more than 50,000 acres and 100 homes.
However, recent rain has helped increase containment of the fires and stall their growth. However, that does not mean the fire has been put out.
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“It’s in there, it’s smoldering. It’s reaching around for something it can find to burn,” Phil Manuel, National Weather Service incident meteorologist, said.
Fire officials say Wednesday could be a challenge, especially as high temperatures could mix with high winds.
“When we give it the warm temperatures, the dry conditions, and the hot. Then we’re watching to see if it wakes back up,” Manuel said.
The fire has already destroyed multiple properties, including Ginger Hunter’s home and business.
“I was looking between my church and my building, and then I saw the red,” Hunter said.
She remembers the sight before disaster, as a fire crossed Highway 82 and burned toward her home and business.
“It was so strong, and it was so hot, and it moved so fast,” Hunter said.
After Hunter evacuated, a neighbor told her that her paid-off home and the wedding chapel she owns had burned down in minutes.
“Surreal is how I describe it; one of those nightmares where you are like, ‘Surely, this is not what happened,’” Hunter said.
Now, Hunter and her family are trying to figure out the next steps. Because the home was paid off, she did not have the proper insurance. So now, she is having to rebuild her home and business from the ground up.
She set up a GoFundMe campaign to help offset costs of starting over. You can click here to donate.
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Even those with insurance are dealing with their own fights.
“It’s my livelihood. I mean, that’s all I have,” Jesse Morgan, owner of Morgan Automotive, said.
Morgan built his auto shop up over the past 30 years, but it burned down in the Hwy. 82 fire.
“I mean, when you hear the term garage liability, you would assume that would cover a vehicle that’s in your garage,” Morgan said. “They informed me that they weren’t going to cover anything because this was an act of God.”
However, experts in insurance disagree.
“Act of God or balloon, it doesn’t matter. They should have coverage,” Brandon Lewis, CEO of Strategic Claim, said.
He says any of the more than 100 families that saw properties burn should be covered if they have insurance.
The state of Georgia says they will also investigate to make sure insurance companies hold up their end of the bargain.
“It’s an accident. That’s why we buy insurance. That’s why we encourage people to buy insurance,” Georgia’s Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King said.
The commissioner says they have teams in South Georgia to help victims through the fire.
However, experts warn that after a disaster, folks should be aware of those who try to take advantage of the situation.
“I think people should also watch out for charlatans and people that are going to try to come and remove their debris and try to help them with reconstruction,” Lewis said.
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