Three workers wearing yellow shirts, green pants, red helmets, and safety gear stand next to a large yellow Caterpillar D5K bulldozer on muddy ground under a cloudy sky.

More residents forced out by the Highway 82 wildfire in Brantley County can return home Friday, but officials say the fire is still burning and hazards remain.

What’s happening: The Brantley County Sheriff’s Office says residents in Zone 25, the Southern Browntown area, are cleared to go back. Browntown Road south of Albert Gibson Road is open. Browntown Road north of Albert Gibson Road stays closed, and Boots Harrison Road remains closed.

Road rules: Highway 32 is open to Highway 110W for residents only. Highway 110W is limited to pass entry only. No through traffic and no semi-trucks are allowed.

Fire status: The fire is not out. Officials say heat and smoldering are still present throughout the area. People returning home may see smoke or spots where the fire could reignite. Fire crews and equipment are still actively working in the area. The fire had burned 22,532 acres as of Thursday night.

Catch up quick: The Highway 82 wildfire started April 20. State investigators say a Mylar balloon hit a power line, creating a burst of electricity that set nearby vegetation on fire. A mandatory evacuation order and a nightly curfew from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. remain in effect across other parts of Brantley County. The county is in an exceptional drought, the most severe level recognized by forecasters.

The path forward: Officials say they are working to reopen more areas and are asking residents to keep watching the sheriff’s office for updates.

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B.T. Clark
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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.

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