SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — A homeowner in the City of South Fulton tells Channel 2 Action News she feared she would have to evacuate as a fast-spreading wildfire crept close to her home Sunday night.
“That was scary to see because it all goes up in seconds, and it hits something else that is dry, and it goes up again,” said neighbor Lauren Chamber.
Chambers says the wildfire, which started early Sunday morning scorched about 20 acres of her land near Cascade Palmetto Highway and Rataree Road. She says it burned through another 40 acres next door.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
For hours, South Fulton firefighters and Georgia Forestry Commission teams worked to contain the fire using fire breaks, water and other fire containment tools and heavy equipment.
“The wildfire risk in Georgia is extreme right now,” Georgia Forestry Commission spokesperson Wendy Burnett told Channel 2’s Tom Regan.
With the state in the grips of the worst drought since 2011, wildfires are breaking out across the state.
“Since January 1st of this year, we have had a little over 2,400 wildfires that have burned over 22,000 thousand acres,” said Burnett.
The largest wildfire in the state now is in Clinch County in south Georgia. It’s grown to 6,900 acres and is only 10% contained.
“I can’t emphasize enough the threat that wildfires have throughout the state this year,” said Burnett.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Body found inside SUV in parking lot of busy Kroger shopping plaza
- Missing Cobb County man’s home goes up for sale as police believe brother stole his identity
- ‘Officer just like you’: Man parked in the middle of I-85 while pretending to be cop, police say
The state is currently not issuing outdoor burn permits, and many counties in metro Atlanta and northeast Georgia have banned outdoor burning.
Beginning in May, more counties will institute outdoor burning restrictions, but in many cases, that will not apply to recreational fires, like fire pits, warming fires and cooking fires.
But Burnett believes no one should be burning outside until Georgia gets more rain.
“Anything and everything that starts a spark outside right now, that can start a wildfire in a matter of seconds,” Burnett explained.
The South Fulton fire did not cause structural damage and the cause is under investigation.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]