Two wildfires in southeastern Georgia have destroyed more than 120 homes and continued to threaten property and lives on Saturday as officials warned that strong winds could rapidly spread the flames.
Highway 82 Fire
The Highway 82 fire, burning since Monday, has destroyed at least 87 homes. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp stated on Friday that this is the most homes destroyed by a single wildfire in the state's history. The fire was ignited by a foil balloon hitting live power lines, creating an electrical arc that ignited combustible material on the ground. An infrared flight conducted overnight on Friday helped officials better map the fire. A Saturday news release indicated the fire's perimeter exceeds 14.8 square miles (38.3 square kilometers) and is only about 10% contained.
Second Fire in Clinch and Echols Counties
A second fire approximately 70 miles (113 kilometers) to the southwest in Clinch and Echols counties, near the Florida state line, has burned more than 46.9 square miles (121.5 square kilometers) and destroyed at least 35 homes. Started by sparks from a welding operation, this wildfire was also about 10% contained as of midday on Saturday.
Evacuation Orders and Warnings
Brantley County Manager Joey Cason called it a “dynamic situation” in a Saturday morning video posted to social media and urged residents to “please evacuate” if ordered. “This fire is going to move rapidly, once these winds get here later today,” he warned.
Regional Impact and Casualties
Firefighters have been battling more than 150 other wildfires in Georgia and Florida that have sent smoky haze far from the flames, triggering air quality warnings for some cities. An unusually large number of wildfires are burning this spring across the southeastern US. Scientists attribute the heightened fire threat to a combination of extreme drought, gusty winds, climate change, and dead trees left by Hurricane Helene in 2024.
In northern Florida, Nassau County Sheriff's Office volunteer firefighter James “Kevin” Crews died on Thursday evening after suffering an unspecified medical emergency while suppressing a brush fire. No fire deaths or injuries have been reported in Georgia.
