South Georgia fires better contained

Officials in south Georgia are scaling down the number of firefighters on the ground, as the wildfires are within 90-percent containment.

From a high of 15-hundred firefighters during the worst stretch of battling the massive blazes, the number is down to just over 800. Many of them are needed only on an emergency level basis. Larry Morris is a spokesman with the Georgia Forestry Commission:

"We are in a demobilization phase...there's no sense in keeping a lot of people here because it does get very expensive...just the equipment costs themselves add up over time...we're turning loose a lot of people who have basically served their time"

The fires pose no threat to residents of Waycross, Folkston and surrounding areas, but caution is stressed given the continued dry conditions. If the weather pattern continues, Morris says the fires could burn another two months. They've already charred 470-thousand acres.

Lightning strikes over the weekend sparked three small fires in the region, but those were quickly subdued.

2nd wildfire in SE Georgia hits 100-K acres

Firefighters in southeast Georgia report a second wildfire near Folkston has charred more than 100-thousand acres. This is the blaze that was sparked last Saturday by a lightning strike inside the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge.

This has been a fast-moving blaze, fueled by quick burning swamp grasses. It reached the 100-thousand acre mark in only five days time. Officials are worried about the fire reaching the town of Fargo, only eight miles west of the swamp.

Another blaze that was already recorded as the largest in the state’s history began in mid-April, and is approaching 120-thousand acres burned.