Smoke from drought-related forest fires in the southeast part of Georgia, hundreds of miles away, is invading the Atlanta area, with hazy conditions reported primarily in the southern portion of the city and in the downtown area.
Residents in Midtown, Ansley Park, College Park, Dunwoody, and other areas reported an acrid smell in the air, even from inside their homes, and generally hazy conditions.
According to WSB-TV, the state’s largest wildfire is located in Clinch County, where the Pineland Road Fire is only 10% contained with more than 16,000 acres burning.
Another large fire in Brantley County along Highway 82 has engulfed about 5,000 acres as of Wednesday morning, and is only 10% contained. Authorities report that more than 47 homes have been lost in the fast-moving blaze.
Portions of several highways in the Brantley County area have closed, including Highway 82, Highway 110 West, Highway 259, and Highway 32. Graphic videos of the Brantley fire have been posted on social media.
Fox 5 is also reported an early morning fire at an apartment complex in Cobb County, just north of Marietta, which could be contributing to the hazy conditions. Firefighters said flames were visible on the third floor, stretching through the attic and out of the roof. Everyone got out of the building safely, but 12 apartments were heavily damaged.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp posted on X that his office is “working closely with the Georgia Forestry Commission to respond to the increasing threat of wildfires in South Georgia.”
The Georgia Forestry Commission has an interactive map showing involvement throughout the state, with the largest blaze in the southeast part of the state.
It also shows dangerous Air Quality Indices for Columbus/Phenix City, Douglas, Macon and Savannah.
The Georgia Forestry Commission on April 22 issued a ban on outdoor burning for 91 counties in the lower half of the state. This is the first mandatory burn ban in Georgia Forestry Commission history, and covers counties from Harris County to Columbia County and south to the Florida line.
“We need everyone to take this situation seriously,” said Georgia State Forester and Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) Director Johnny Sabo in the release. “GFC’s wildland firefighters are responding daily to a near-record number of wildfires. It’s critical to remember that just one spark or ember can ignite a life-threatening wildfire.”
Fully 98% of Georgia’s total land area is currently in moderate to exceptional drought conditions, the release said. The number of wildfires statewide in April has also now risen above Georgia’s five-year average.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes known.
