Waycross, GA - The Georgia Forestry Commission and local firefighters in Clinch County, Georgia, have been battling a series of wildfires since Friday. Those fires have burned more than 25,000 acres in southeast Georgia. The spreading fires have forced residents in several counties to evacuate their homes.
Bacon and Ware counties have been impacted most severely where the largest area of 20,000 acres was burned in those two counties. Fires burned approximately 7,200 acres and several homes in Ludowici/Long County. And the Arabia Bay fire in Clinch County which had been contained, escaped and scorched a reported 7,000 acres. However, strong winds picked up and stoked the flames again.
Lieutenant Kellie Cantrell, Corps Officer for the Waycross Salvation Army, and a team of volunteers was on the scene with the emergency and disaster canteen serving firefighters. “We served meals to 75 firefighters yesterday and we will be there again today to provide food and hydration as needed," says Lt. Cantrell. She also stated “Because we knew the firefighters would be battling the blaze overnight, we left snacks and water so they could help themselves through the night.”
Governor Nathan Dean has declared a state of emergency for Long, Bacon, Clinch and Coffee counties which activates the Georgia Emergency Operations Plans and makes state resources available to effectively fight the fires in these counties.
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