The Highway 82 wildfire in Brantley County is now 75% contained — up from 64% just two days ago. The fire has burned 22,471 acres since it started April 20 near Atkinson and Waynesville.
What’s Happening: The Pineland Road Fire, burning across Clinch and Echols counties, is holding at 44% contained and has burned through 32,575 acres. Both fires are still active. Three new wildfires broke out across Georgia on Sunday, burning a combined 23.4 acres statewide.
What’s Important: South Georgia is in an exceptional drought — the most severe level recognized by forecasters — and the ground is still dangerously dry. Wildfire risk remains high across the region even as the two largest fires inch closer to being controlled.
Catch Up Quick: State investigators say the Highway 82 Fire started when a Mylar balloon hit a power line, sending a burst of electricity into nearby vegetation. That investigation is still open. Evacuation orders and a countywide curfew in Brantley County have been lifted, but Zones 23 and 24 — hunting club land — remain closed as active fire zones.
Rules Still in Effect:
- A burn ban covers all of south Georgia.
- No drones may fly over active fire areas.
- Drivers should slow down and use caution near smoke.
The Path Forward: With the Highway 82 Fire at 75% containment and residents back in their homes, crews are working to lock down fire lines before dry conditions give either fire room to grow again.
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.
