The chairman of the Candler County Board of Commissioners declared a Local State of Emergency Thursday because of elevated wildfire risk in the area.
What’s happening: No wildfires are currently burning in Candler County. The declaration is a precautionary step that gives local officials the legal authority to activate parts of the county’s emergency response plan and move resources into place before conditions worsen. Several small fires in the county over the past few days were all contained. A commercial truck fire on the interstate Thursday morning was unrelated to wildfire activity and was also handled without issue.
What’s important: Candler County Emergency Management Agency Director Justin Wells is asking residents to be careful with any outdoor burning while conditions remain dry and elevated fire risk persists across the region.
Catch up quick: South Georgia is in the middle of a serious wildfire emergency. Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency covering 91 of Georgia’s 159 counties after wildfires surpassed the state’s five-year average. Two fires, one along Highway 82 in Brantley County and one along Pineland Road in Clinch and Echols Counties, have burned more than 11,085 acres and threatened more than 1,050 homes and 50 businesses. Parts of Brantley County remain under a mandatory evacuation order.
The path forward: Candler County EMA says it will continue monitoring wildfire activity across South Georgia and will issue updates if conditions change.
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