Georgia wildfires continue to spread as blazes remain uncontained

• One of two major wildfires in southeastern Georgia, the Highway 82 Fire, grew to over 31 square miles by Sunday and was only 7 percent contained.
• The Highway 82 Fire, which started on April 20 due to a foil balloon hitting power lines, had destroyed at least 87 homes by Saturday.
• A second large wildfire, located about 70 miles southwest in Clinch and Echols counties, had burned over 46 square miles, destroyed at least 35 homes, and was 10 percent contained.
• Officials warned of a "potential bad fire day" due to expected 15 mph wind gusts and urged residents to heed evacuation notices, noting some nearly got caught by the fire.
• The region is experiencing an unusually high number of wildfires, with over 150 burning in Georgia and Florida, exacerbated by drought, winds, climate change, and trees downed by Hurricane Helene in 2024.

IN FULL

Georgia wildfire doubles in size as blaze remains largely uncontained, officials warn