Brantley County students will not be in school the rest of this week as the Highway 82 Fire keeps burning and smoke conditions remain a concern.
What’s Happening: The Brantley County School System announced schools are closed for students Wednesday through Friday. Teachers and staff are expected to come back Thursday and Friday.
What’s Important: School officials said they are watching fire and smoke conditions and working with county and state emergency officials before deciding when students can safely return. Employees at WPS and AES will hear directly from their principals with specific instructions. The school system said it will post more information about a student return date by Friday afternoon.
Catch Up Quick: The Highway 82 Fire started April 20 and has burned 22,601 acres in Brantley County. As of Tuesday, it was 32% contained. A mandatory evacuation order covers a large part of the county, and a nightly curfew runs from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Brantley County is in exceptional drought, the most severe level recognized by forecasters.
How This Affects Real People: Students will be out of school at least through Friday. Parents should watch for updates from the school system by Friday afternoon about when classes will resume.
The Path Forward: No return date for students has been set. The school system said that decision will depend on guidance from safety officials, with an update expected Friday.
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.
