A wildfire burning along Highway 82 in Brantley County pushed north into Coffee County on Thursday and is still burning Friday morning, even after overnight humidity climbed to 90%.
What’s Happening: The fire crossed Highway 110 West into Coffee County, reaching Stewart Road, also known as Lane and Robertson Hammock Road. Fire behavior was described as extreme from Thursday afternoon through the night and into early Friday morning. The Southern Area Team One Incident Management Team took command of the fire Friday morning. Additional bulldozers and equipment are arriving to work in both the most active fire areas and in cleanup operations.
New Evacuations: Mandatory evacuation orders were issued Thursday for several areas:
- Highway 110 from Highway 32 to Lanes Cemetery Road
- Lisa Lane to the Satilla River
- Highway 110 to the Satilla River between Coffee County Club Road and Drury Lane
Weather Concern: Conditions are expected to worsen through the day. Relative humidity will fall below 30%, with southwest winds at 5 to 7 miles per hour. By evening, winds will shift to the southeast and pick up to 15 miles per hour.
Safety Rules in Effect: Brantley County has a mandatory curfew from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. for affected areas. No one may re-enter evacuated zones. A re-entry plan is being developed but is not yet in place. Smoke and dust on rural dirt roads are reducing visibility for firefighters. Highway 82 is closing periodically due to smoke. A temporary flight restriction, designated TFR #6-5168, covers the fire area and bans all drone flights. Officials warn that drone use prevents aircraft from flying over the fire.
Shelters: Three shelters are open for displaced residents:
- Red Cross shelter at Selden Park Complex, 100 Genoa Martin Drive, Brunswick, opens at noon; no pets allowed
- Nahunta Methodist Church is open as a day shelter
- Southside Baptist Church is open day and night
Donations: Officials say firefighters have no unmet needs and are asking the public to direct donations toward affected residents instead. Donations are being accepted at Brantley Gas, 114 Satilla Ave, Nahunta, and H&S Car Haulers, 125 Industrial Park, Nahunta. A central distribution point is being set up; details will be released when available.
Contact: Media inquiries can go to Kristen Kennedy at (912) 464-0160. General questions can be directed to (912) 674-5878 or (912) 674-0195.
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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.
