"Large" Number of Oak Trees Dying Statewide

Officials at the Georgia Forestry Commission say three years of drought is killing many oak trees throughout the state.

There are no estimates on just how many trees are dying. But workers with the Georgia Forestry Commission are reporting many more oaks are dying than at any time in the past twenty years.

These workers say most of the tree deaths are due to the reduced rainfall. Chip Bates works for the Georgia Forestry Commission, and he says his agency is trying to sort out what this news means for the environment. In the meantime, he says it's important for the public to be aware of the problem because it impacts the health of forest and urban canopies.


"Some people would say who cares if the trees are dying...we don't want people to become passive or apathetic to the fact our trees are dying."

Dying trees also pose risks to structures and can lower property values.

Progress made in battling Cumberland fire

State forestry officials say they are making progress in fighting a blaze burning into its second week on Cumberland Island. A spokesperson says more than 100 firefighters have about 35-percent containment on the fire. The blaze has charred more than 1,600 acres on the island's northern side. The fire is believed to have been sparked by a pair of lightning strikes on June 22nd. Cumberland Island has remained open to visitors.

Fire burning on Cumberland Island

Georgia Forestry Commission officials confirm this morning that over 1,600 acres of federally-protected land has burned on Cumberland Island. Officials do not have an estimated time for containment of the blaze. The fire is burning on the northern end of the island, and is believed to have been sparked by a lightning strike last week. There are no reports of damage to structures or injuries. The National Park Service operates the island--officials say ferry service and operations on the island's south side are running normally.

Forestry officials urge caution with arrival of wildfire season

State forestry officials are urging Georgians to use caution with burning debris in their yards. The state’s typical wildfire season usually runs from February to May. Last year, wildfires burned for two months in south Georgia, charring more than 600-thousand acres of swamp and timberland. A state forestry official says even though areas of southeastern Georgia have received more rain, the drought still makes the area ripe for wildfires. State forestry officials are cutting back on its prescribed burns on tree plantations in south Georgia.

Wildfire fund aims to help private forestland in SE Ga

A new fundraising effort could speed up restoring land in southeast Georgia devastated by last year’s wildfires.

The Wildfire Relief Fund will raise money from private sources and distribute it to family farms and forest areas ravaged by the blazes of last spring and summer. The Fund has the backing of many state and local government leaders.

More than a half-million acres burned across 21 counties, most in southeast Georgia. Within that, over 31-thousand acres of private forestland were charred, with only a small percentage of federal money helping those affected.

Several partners are already onboard for the effort, including the Georgia Forestry Commission and Department of Natural Resources. Monte Simpson, spokesman for the Fund, says the goal is to raise 7-million dollars to nurse the land back to health:

"The sooner we get the money, the sooner we can put it to work...identifying these landowners and working with them to help re-establish their lands".

Relief fund officials hope to begin processing applications, and start paying-out assistance, in time for the fall planting season.