The Highway 82 wildfire in Brantley County is now 37% contained after crews made progress Thursday — but a new fire broke out nearby in Wayne County, and smoke picked up across parts of the burn area as temperatures climbed.
What’s Happening: The fire covers 22,532 acres and has been burning since April 20. Containment climbed from 33% to 37% Thursday. Temperatures hit 86 degrees and humidity fell to about 40% in the afternoon, pushing fire activity higher — especially in low, wet shrubland areas. That smoke did not break through the containment lines.
New fire in Wayne County: A separate fire started north of the Highway 82 Fire in Wayne County Thursday. It burned about 40 acres, is contained, and crews are working to fully put it out.
On the Ground: Crews flew a drone over the entire fire area north of Highway 82 to find hidden heat. Where heat was detected, firefighters dug out burning roots, stumps, and organic soil, then applied water and stirred the material to let the heat escape — a process that can take days. Crews also built backup containment lines around homes north of Highway 32, running through Ten Mile Road and west to Mount Pleasant Road, and south of Highway 82 from Boots Harrison Road east to Post Road. North of Highway 32, firefighters identified an endangered plant species on state land and worked to avoid disturbing it during fire operations.
By the Numbers: 632 people are working the fire, along with:
- 5 helicopters
- 29 bulldozers
- 19 tractor plows
- 50 engines of various sizes
- 18 water tanker trucks
- 2 ambulances
Community meeting: A public information meeting will be held Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Atkinson Elementary School gym.
Where to Get Help: A Red Cross shelter is open in Brunswick at 100 Genoa Martin Drive at the Selden Park Complex. A climate-controlled mobile unit is available for small pets in crates, and bedding and crates are provided. Call 1-800-Red-Cross for information. Day shelters with no pet access are open at Nahunta Methodist Church and Southside Baptist Church. Large animal locations are listed on the Georgia Department of Agriculture website. Donations of clothing, hygiene items, and empty totes can be dropped at Brantley Gas, 114 Satilla Ave, Nahunta. Nonperishable food and pet food can be dropped at H&S Haulers, 125 Industrial Park, Nahunta. Brantley County Family Connections at 10305 Main Street, Nahunta is also accepting donations.
Rules still in effect: A mandatory curfew runs from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. in Brantley County. A burn ban covers all of south Georgia. No drones — recreational or professional — may fly over the fire area. Road closures remain in place throughout the fire area.
The Path Forward: Thursday’s evening update was the last one. Starting Friday, fire officials will issue one update each morning around 10:30 a.m. Brantley County remains in an exceptional drought — the most severe level recognized by forecasters — and the entire state of Georgia is in drought, meaning conditions will keep challenging crews even as containment improves.
Contact: Fire information: 912-612-7449, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Brantley County evacuation and road closure questions: 912-674-5878 or 912-674-0195. Media inquiries: 912-612-8626. Social media updates: @Hwy82Fire.
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B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
