State of Emergency issued in Georgia as wildfire destroys 47 buildings
FOX 5 Atlanta • • general
Key Points:
- At least 47 buildings have been destroyed in a rapidly growing wildfire in Brantley County, Georgia, which has forced evacuations and school closures near Highway 82.
- The wildfire is currently 10% contained, with smoke causing haze in metro Atlanta, prompting a mandatory burn ban across 91 counties in the state.
- Governor Brian Kemp declared a 30-day state of emergency for 91 southern Georgia counties and announced deployment of the National Guard to assist with firefighting efforts.
- The fire is exacerbated by extreme drought conditions, with wildfires already exceeding the state's five-year average; officials are coordinating federal, state, and local resources to combat the blaze.
- No information is yet available on injuries or fatalities, and an update on the fire status is expected Wednesday afternoon.
