New wildfire in south Georgia

Officials in southeast Georgia reported a new fire that sparked in the Little Okefenokee Swamp Sunday afternoon. It's just north of Folkston, and four miles east of the U.S.-1 and S.R.-121 intersection. This is all part of the bigger picture, in which wildfires in total have burned over half a million acres in southern Georgia and northern Florida. About a dozen homes south of Waycross remained evacuated Sunday.

As dry conditions prevail across the state, officials are urging Georgians to use extreme caution with campfires and cookouts today as they celebrate the holiday. Giving up outdoor cookouts altogether is an option officials would like residents to consider.

More state money for wildfires

Governor Sonny Perdue is sending another seven-million dollars to southeast Georgia to help the battle against the wildfires. The money is coming from unspent state funds and will help several agencies, including the Georgia Forestry Commission and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. State law allows the Governor to transfer unused funds from the treasury, and redirect it to emergency efforts.

Over 151-thousand acres of land have been charred from one fire burning in Ware and Charlton counties. Another larger blaze is based along the state line into Florida. That fire has burned a combined 277-thousand acres, with over half of that on the Georgia side. Forecasters say stronger winds the next two days might make efforts more difficult for firefighters.

Officials say that late Wednesday night, a big portion of the boardwalk and two bridges at the Okefenokee Swamp Park were burned by the fires. Extra firefighters are guarding the Park to protect undamaged structures and wildlife.

Georgia wildfires update

Despite windy conditions in the wildfire-affected areas of southeast Georgia and northern Florida, officials reported progress out of Tuesday. Firefighters were able to set a "burn out" of some brush along a road in the Okefenokee Refuge. In addition, containment lines held against wind-aided flames. The largest fire that has crossed the state line has burned a combined 248-thousand acres. The other blaze in Ware and Charlton counties stands at 136-thousand acres burned.

There is good news to report from north Georgia, as the two fires there are under control: the blaze along the Gilmer-Murray county line is 80-percent contained. It has burned private and U-S Forest Service land, about one-thousand acres. The Pickens County fire is 100-percent contained-it has charred about 100 acres.

Georgia wildfires update

It was another tough day for firefighters on the front lines Monday, as winds kicked-up to between 15-25 miles-per-hour in southeast Georgia and northern Florida. The massive blaze that began in the Okefenokee over a week ago, has now burned more than 242-thousand acres.

Residents of Fargo-Georgia have been told to pack necessary belongings and valuables in case they need to leave quickly. Close to 20 homes north of Fargo remain evacuated.

There is also the wildfire burning in north Georgia. Over a thousand acres have burned within the Chattahooche National Forest in Gilmer County. A smaller fire is burning in Pickens County.

Wildfires update

The massive wildfire that is affecting southeast Georgia into Florida has burned over 240-thousand acres, and continues to cause havoc for firefighters, travelers, and residents.

The blaze was sparked just over a week ago from a lightning strike in the Okefenokee Swamp. Officials today report 30-percent containment on the fire. In Florida alone, it has burned over 102-thousand acres. Windy conditions in the forecast are expected to test new and existing fire-lines that have been constructed.

Road travel continues to be greatly affected. Several highways in Georgia and Florida were closed. Travel on Interstates 75 and 10 is allowed when visibility permits. Roads closed in Georgia: US 441 from Homerville to the state line; SR 177 between Stephen C Foster State Park and Fargo; SR 94 closed to through traffic--from Moniac west to the state line; SR 94 entirely closed from the Florida line through Fargo to Statenville; SR 185 is open for local traffic only.

Firefighters in Georgia are battling another massive blaze nearby, which has charred more than 130-thousand acres since mid-April. And just from this past weekend, north Georgia had a new blaze flare-up from what may have been a lightning strike—over 900 acres burned in the Chattahooche National Forest in Gilmer County. The fire is about 10 miles north of Ellijay.

Fires burn in north and south Georgia

Firefighters are dealing with blazes in both south and north Georgia today. Over this past weekend, it's believed a lightning strike sparked a fire burning along the Gilmer and Murray county line near Fort Mountain. It is between 350 to 500 acres burned, and reported to be about 60-percent contained. Pickens County has a fire that has burned 100 acres.

Continuing in southeast Georgia and now into Florida are the massive fires. The blaze that was sparked by lightning just over a week ago in the Okefenokee, has now charred over 233-thousand acres. The spread of the fire into Florida resulted in on-and-off closures of Interstate 75 from Georgia across the state line. Interstate 10 in Florida has also been closed at certain points. Hundreds of Florida residents forced from their homes are hoping to return. The longer-running fire burning in southeast Georgia continues. It has charred over 100-thousand acres.

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.

Georgia fires spill into Florida

A wildfire in southeast Georgia has jumped the state line into Florida, threatening homes there.

A blaze that has already burned 40-thousand acres crossed into Florida by Tuesday afternoon. The larger fire that has burned over 107-thousand acres is raging on the border. The combined threat forced the evacuation of about 300 homes in north Florida. Officials in that state say they may need help if the fires get any larger.

On the Georgia-side of the state line, a small community near the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge was in the path of a blaze last night. Authorities told residents of about 20 homes in Davis-Georgia to get out. Schools in Charlton County will be closed today.

The Okefenokee’s Wildlife Refuge was closed to visitors yesterday. Officials were also prepared to move out staff as the blaze was creeping toward a fire command post.

The largest blaze in Georgia history has been raging for over 3 weeks.

Wildfire pushes deeper into Okefenokee, closes refuge

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is closed today because of wildfires. High winds have pushed the blaze deeper into the swamp. Fire officials say because southeast Georgia is so dry … conditions are ripe for new fires and rapid fire spread. The fire has been burning for three weeks and has covered 156 square miles.

SE Georgia wildfires update

Wildfires in southeast Georgia have now burned for three weeks, and burned more than 100-thousand acres. Sustained winds yesterday actually helped firefighters in the Okefenokee Swamp. Winds from the northeast pushed the fire deeper into the swamp. That allowed workers to fortify fire-breaks around the swamp--better protecting nearby communities in Ware and Charlton counties.

Wind gusts could affect SE Georgia fires

It's another tough day on the front-lines for firefighters in southeast Georgia, as high winds complicate efforts to battle wildfires--now burning into a third week.

Officials are calling today a "red flag" day--reflecting the combination of high winds and very dry conditions. The forecast had a wind advisory in effect for southeast Georgia, with gusts up to 25-30 miles-per-hour.

All of this is challenging the over 1-thousand combined firefighters on the ground trying to control at least four main wildfires. Nearly 110-thousand acres have now been charred by the various blazes.

The main fires are the two connected in Ware County, having burned 100-thousand acres alone. The one blaze today is reported to be 80-percent contained, with the other only 45-percent under control.

Officials are now watching three smaller fires burning inside the Okefenokee Swamp, which were sparked by recent lightning strikes.

SE Georgia fire causes more evacuations

It was a tough day on the fire lines Thursday as the massive blaze in southeast Georgia forced additional evacuations and more damage.

Gusty winds kicked-up a fire near Nahunta--east of Waycross. Officials said 25 to 30 homes were evacuated. It also affected a stretch of state highway 301.
Authorities also asked people in and around the community of Astoria to leave their homes again, as fire from the Okefenokee swamp drew closer. Many of the same people had left their homes for a brief time early Wednesday morning. Emergency officials also had to close a 16-mile stretch of U.S.-1 between Waycross and Jacksonville.

22 homes have now been destroyed in total since the fire started a week and a half ago. The blaze has blackened 95 square miles of land.

SE Georgia wildfires-update

Nearly 60-thousand acres have now burned in southeast Georgia as the wildfires continue to rule in the area of Waycross and the Okefenokee.

Firefighters are working 12-hour shifts or longer in trying to control the blaze. Officials say it is still about 50-percent contained. About 600 firefighters from multiple agencies and states are involved.

Residents of the Astoria community early Wednesday morning were evacuated briefly when flames crept close. Those residents are advised to remain on-guard, as southwesterly winds are forecast for today and tomorrow, which could fan the flames.

Ware County schools yesterday re-opened for the first time since being closed for six straight days.

Fire officials will hold an informational meeting for residents in Ware County tonight at 7pm. It will be held at the Ware County Middle School.

SE Georgia wildfires update

Here is the latest this morning from the fires burning in southeast Georgia. Portions of U.S.-1 have now re-opened. An official with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency said early this morning, a 35-mile stretch of the roadway was closed to traffic because of fire that spread through the Okefenokee Swamp.

The communities of Astoria and Braganza were in the line of fire also, as the blaze crossed over State Route 177. Residents in about 70 homes were evacuated, but those people now have been allowed to return.

Schools in Ware County expect to re-open this morning 1-hour later than usual. Schools have been closed for over a week.

53-thousand acres have burned in the region, along with 18 homes lost.

Georgia wildfires update

Wildfires continue to burn in southeast Georgia, more than a week after flaring up. Schools in Ware County will be closed today for a sixth straight day. Officials say that more than 56-thousand acres have now burned, with 18 homes destroyed.

Containment of the fire is at about 45-percent, but firefighters would like to get down another 23 miles of ‘firebreaks’.

There is some fire burning in the Okefenokee Swamp, and flames have now drawn to within two-thousand feet of the northern edge of the Wildlife Refuge.

Wildfires continue to burn in SE Georgia (updated)

Over 55-thousand acres have burned in southeast Georgia--the result of wildfires that continue to rage in the area around Waycross. Officials with the Georgia Forestry Commission say that firefighters had a good day Sunday, able to get many ‘firebreaks’ put down. The largest blaze is said to now be 45-percent contained.

The threat to the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge remains. Fires are within a quarter to half-mile of the northwestern edge of the Refuge. Blaine Ekberg of the Georgia Forestry Commission said today that a portion of the northwestern section of the swamp is burning. The popular swamp park from the north entrance remains closed. The west and east entrances to the Okefenokee's Wildlife Refuge are open.

Schools in Ware County will be closed again today. It will be a fifth straight day for about six-thousand students to miss classes due to the fires. School officials will decide later today whether it will be safe enough to re-open schools for Tuesday.

Fires press into Okefenokee

Wildfires continue to spread into the Okefenokee Swamp in southeast Georgia. Fire now covers more than 45-square miles near Waycross. 18 houses are destroyed and 1,000 people have been forced from their homes. Another 5,000 people have been asked to leave because of heavy smoke blowing into parts of Waycross.

SE Georgia wildfires (updated)

The series of wildfires in southeastern Georgia has now spread through more than 45 square miles. Officials say that 18 houses have now been destroyed, and about a thousand people remain displaced. Schools in Ware County will stay closed for a fourth day. Containment on the largest fire is reported to be at least 35-percent.

Officials with the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge near Waycross say this weekend’s annual Earth Day celebration will go on, despite fires burning near the region.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced today the closing of Dixon Memorial Wildlife Management Area due to the wildfire threat. The area is south of Waycross, and will remain closed until further notice.

Wildfires in southeast Georgia-(Updated)

Wildfires continue to rage in southeast Georgia, with a total of 30-thousand acres that have now burned. The largest blaze involves 25-thousand acres right now. An official with the Georgia Forestry Commission said this morning that fire is about 30-percent contained. Aside from the evacuations of one-thousand people from the south-Waycross area a couple of days ago, officials say 17 homes have now been lost to the fire.

There are several road closures as a result of the fires. It includes a stretch of US 84 that is closed in all of Ware County, and between mile markers 10 and 12.

Fires on Wednesday morning had moved into the edges of the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, closing the north and west entrances, and closing the popular Swamp Park.

It was announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has stepped-in with assistance. It will pay 75-percent of Georgia’s eligible firefighting costs.

Okefenokee threatened by fires (UPDATED)

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has been threatened by the fires in southeast Georgia. This morning, the fires entered the north and west ends of the Refuge, according to the incident commander with the Georgia Forestry Commission.

An Okefenokee-official said the popular Swamp Park that is accessed from the north entrance was closed yesterday, and remains closed today. The park draws thousands of visitors each year. In addition, the west entrance to the Refuge was closed late Tuesday.

Officials do say that the east entrance to the Refuge remains open to visitors with many tourist activities still available

The Okefenokee Refuge encompasses 403-thousand acres just south of Waycross. It covers 650 square miles.

Governor Sonny Perdue has announced that federal funds have been authorized to help fight an uncontrolled fire burning in Ware County.

The funds are made available by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The 20,000-acre Sweat Farm Road fire has destroyed 11 structures and threatens the city of Waycross.

Thirty-one people are being temporarily houses in an American Red Cross shelter at Ware County Middle School in Waycross.

Dense smoke has forced highway closures, particularly those south and west of Waycross.

FEMA will pay 75 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs.