In Georgia, a wildfire in Brantley County has grown to over 31 square miles and was only 7% contained as of Sunday, according to Brantley County Manager Joey Cason. The fire, which started when a foil balloon hit power lines, according to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, has prompted at least 800 evacuations, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reported. Approximately 49 homes have been impacted in Brantley County, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission, though other reports suggest about 50 homes have been destroyed. County Manager Joey Cason told Jacksonville.com that about 50 homes have been destroyed, while the Guardian reported an unspecified number. The Georgia Forestry Commission said the fire was 15% contained on Friday, but containment dropped to 7% by Sunday, indicating worsening conditions or revised estimates. The exact number of homes destroyed remains unclear, with some reports citing at least 87 homes destroyed, creating a discrepancy that affects the perceived severity of the disaster and resource allocation for recovery.
A second wildfire in Clinch and Echols counties, Georgia, has destroyed at least 35 homes, according to multiple reports. The fire, started by sparks from a welding operation, according to Governor Kemp, had burned more than 46 square miles and was about 10% contained as of Saturday, major media reported. No fire-related deaths or injuries have been reported in Georgia, according to multiple reports.
In Florida, firefighters are battling 131 wildfires that have burned 34 square miles, according to multiple reports. A fire in Broward County scorched over 9,200 acres and was 50% contained, major media reported. The Railroad Fire in Clay and Putnam counties has grown to more than 4,000 acres and is 50% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service. The Conner-Nelson fire in Nassau County is at about 500 acres and 85% contained, the Sheriff's Office said, and all road closures for that fire have been lifted.
The Georgia Forestry Commission issued its first mandatory burn ban in state history, covering 91 counties, as the region faces extreme fire danger. The fires have been fueled by a long drought, low humidity and strong winds, according to multiple reports. More than 61% of the lower 48 US states are in moderate to exceptional drought, the highest level for this time of year since 2000, according to the US Drought Monitor. 97% of the southeastern US is in drought, and Florida is in exceptional or extreme drought, the US Drought Monitor reported.
Heavy smoke across the region is causing problems with traffic and breathing, according to multiple reports. School has been canceled for Wednesday, April 22 in Brantley County, according to multiple reports. Emergency responders have blocked off certain roads as conditions shift, according to multiple reports. The exact number of additional evacuation orders or road closures in effect is not yet known.
Crews from multiple agencies, including Glynn County Fire Rescue, are working to control the fire, according to multiple reports. The National Guard and other state and federal resources have been mobilized to assist.
A volunteer firefighter in Florida died while battling a brush fire, according to the Nassau County Sheriff's Office. The cause of the firefighter's death has not been disclosed. No fire-related deaths or injuries have been reported in Georgia, according to multiple reports.
Scientists say the eastern US is at greater risk of intense wildfires due to climate change, record drought, and dead trees from Hurricane Helene, according to fire scientists. The number of large fires and amount of land burned has increased in most of the Southeast from 1984 to 2020, according to a 2023 study by University of Florida fire ecologists. 45% of all large wildfires in the East burn some portion of the wildland-urban interface, according to fire ecologist Victoria Donovan.
The exact number of homes destroyed in Brantley County remains unknown, as does the current containment status of the Brantley County fire. The total number of acres burned across all fires in the region has not been confirmed. The cause of the volunteer firefighter's death in Florida has not been released. It is also unclear whether additional evacuation orders or road closures are in effect beyond those already reported.