A Brantley County first responder lost everything in the wildfire

While the Highway 82 Fire was consuming his home Tuesday, Brandon Lynn was on the clock.

Lynn, a paramedic with Brantley County EMS, was at work when the fire reached his property. His wife and three children were at school. His landlord, whose house burned alongside Lynn’s, managed to get Lynn’s two cats out before the flames took everything else.

“My life changed in 30 seconds,” Lynn said.

Gone Before He Could Get There

Lynn said he and his family had no warning — no time to grab anything before the fire moved through.

“We literally had clothes on our back,” he said. “That was it. My kids, my wife, me.”

Thirteen years of life together, he said — gone in moments. His son, who stays with him every other weekend, lost everything too.

Lynn watched the smoke rise from a distance as his landlord called to tell him the fire was moving in.

A Warning to Anyone Still in the Path

Lynn said he understands why people hesitate when evacuation orders come down. He used to think the same way.

“This is coming from somebody in this community that I would think about twice of why am I being evacuated — I ain’t in line of fire,” he said. “This thing has been unpredictable. It has been crazy.”

His message now is direct: take the warnings seriously.

“The ones that get the warning, I want them to understand to take it serious,” Lynn said. “Pack up. Save what you can.”

Still Showing Up

Lynn has not missed a single shift since losing his home. He said the work is what keeps him going.

“It’s really the only thing to keep me going for my family, for my life,” he said.

He said the response from his community — neighbors, fellow EMS workers, local churches, and county officials — has carried him through the hardest days.

“The love I felt,” he said. “Things we lost, though, it can be replaced. It’s hard to say that. That’s our whole life.”

Resources for Those Who Have Lost

Lynn said he does not want anyone in Brantley County to feel like they are facing this alone. He said he knows of roughly 150 to 200 people who have lost homes or property in the fire.

He urged anyone affected to reach out to local churches and community ministries, which he said have been among the most immediate sources of help.

“If you’ve lost everything, there ain’t nowhere to go but up,” Lynn said. “Don’t be scared to reach out. Come to me. If you see me on the street, come to me. I’ll help you.”

Where to Get Help

Anyone impacted by the Highway 82 Fire can contact the following:

• Family Connection of Brantley County: (912) 462-1234
• American Red Cross: 1-800-733-2767

A Red Cross shelter accepting small pets in crates is open in Brunswick at 100 Genoa Martin Drive at the Selden Park Complex. Day shelters with no pet access are open at Nahunta Methodist Church and Southside Baptist Church.

Where the Fire Stands

The Highway 82 Fire has burned 22,601 acres in Brantley County since it ignited April 20. As of Tuesday, it was 32% contained — the most significant containment gain since the fire began. Investigators believe a balloon striking a power line may have started the fire, though that cause has not been confirmed.

A mandatory evacuation order remains in effect for all homes and properties bounded by Highway 32 to the north, Highway 82 to the south, Highway 110 to the west, and Post Road to the east. A nightly curfew from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. remains in place across the county.

Brantley County is in an exceptional drought — the most severe level recognized by forecasters — and a burn ban covers all counties in South Georgia.

“We rebuild together,” Lynn said. “I ain’t going nowhere.”