Highway 82 Fire Exceeds 31 Square Miles as Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Declares State of Emergency

A fast-growing wildfire in southeastern Georgia, the Highway 82 Fire, continued to expand and exceeded 31 square miles as officials reported Sunday in and around Brantley County.

The Associated Press said the fire had been burning since April 20 and that as of Saturday it had destroyed at least 87 homes, while officials reported it was only 7% contained on Sunday morning.

ABC News

AP also reported that Highway 82 in Brantley County is about 35 miles (56.3 kilometers) north of the state line with Florida, and that wind gusts of about 15 mph (24.1 kph) were expected Sunday.

Brantley County Manager Joey Cason said in a Facebook post, “The fire basically doubled last night in size,” and he added, “It is a dynamic fire event that will be impacted by the wind.”

AP reported that evacuation notices could be issued Sunday and that residents should heed them, including Cason’s warning, “We had folks that did not evacuate and they almost got caught by that fire.”

The BBC described Georgia’s emergency response as wildfires destroyed dozens of homes, and it said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a 30-day state of emergency in 91 of the state’s 159 counties.

In a separate local update, WTOC said a mandatory curfew was in place in parts of Brantley County and that the Highway 82 wildfire had reached over 9,500 acres, citing an emergency alert from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.

Multiple reports tied the Georgia wildfires to ignition events involving power and welding.

The Associated Press said the Highway 82 fire was started by a foil balloon hitting live power lines, creating an electrical arc that ignited combustible material on the ground.

Action News Jax

AP also said a second fire about 70 miles (110 kilometers) to the southwest in Clinch and Echols counties, near the Florida state line, had burned more than 46 square miles (121 square kilometers) and was only about 10% contained as of Saturday, and that blaze was started by sparks from a welding operation.

The BBC similarly described a foil balloon contacting a power line as the believed spark for the Highway 82 fire, and it said the Highway 82 fire had consumed about 7,500 acres so far, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission.

The BBC also said a stray spark from a welding operation was believed to be the source of the Pineland Road Fire, which it said had scorched 32,000 acres.

News4JAX added more detail about the Highway 82 ignition, saying, “A balloon from a child’s party landing on a powerline caused an arc that is believed to have sparked what is now one of the largest wildfires in Georgia’s history,” and it quoted Gov. Brian Kemp.

Across the reporting, the ignition narratives were paired with dry conditions and wind, with AP noting gusts of about 15 mph were expected Sunday and the BBC quoting Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo saying, “Right now conditions are so dry that even one small spark can quickly turn into a dangerous wildfire.”

As the Highway 82 Fire advanced, officials issued evacuation guidance and imposed restrictions in Brantley County.

The Associated Press reported that Cason said evacuation notices could be issued Sunday and urged residents to heed them, adding, “We had folks that did not evacuate and they almost got caught by that fire.”

AP also said more crews were expected to arrive Sunday and Monday to help battle the blaze, and it quoted Cason saying, “There’s a ton of assets that are being poured into this fire to, hopefully, get it under control or get it out.”

WTOC reported that a mandatory curfew was in place in parts of Brantley County, with the curfew running from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. and applying to affected areas only, and it said the restriction was due to hazardous conditions, ongoing fire operations, and low visibility.

WTOC also said residents were urged to stay off the roads during curfew hours to allow emergency crews to respond safely and effectively.

CBS News described residents’ experiences with evacuation orders and losses, including Anna Dudek, who told CBS News she watched her home burn on her phone through Ring cameras and said, “When both of my devices were offline, and it was black and I couldn't see no more, it was so gut-wrenching because then I knew, like, they got... what I call home.”

CNN added a different personal account from Brytney Quinn, who said, “My house is gone,” after she fled around 12:20 p.m. and later saw flames on her surveillance cameras.

Fire officials and state leaders described containment levels, acreage totals, and the operational challenges of battling multiple blazes at once.

The Associated Press said the Highway 82 Fire had destroyed at least 87 homes and was only 7% contained on Sunday morning, while it also described a second fire in Clinch and Echols counties that had burned more than 46 square miles and destroyed at least 35 homes, with only about 10% containment as of Saturday.

Associated Press

AP reported that investigators could not be sent in yet to assess damages, and it quoted Susie Heisey, spokeswoman with the Southern Area Incident Management Team, saying, “Due to the ongoing fire, investigators can’t be sent in yet to assess damages.”

The BBC reported that the fires began sprouting up on 18 April and that Kemp declared a state of emergency four days later, and it said the Highway 82 fire was about 10% contained while the Pineland Road fire had scorched 32,000 acres.

CBS News said two massive fires had scorched more than 40,000 acres and destroyed over 120 homes, and it reported that high winds made efforts to contain the fires difficult.

News4JAX reported that as of Friday the Highway 82 Fire had consumed about 7,500 acres and remained just 15% contained, and it said the Pineland Road Fire currently ranked No. 1 and 2 in the country.

In a separate local update, WTOC said an overnight infrared flight mapped the Highway 82 fire at approximately 9,572 acres, and it explained that infrared flights use specialized sensors to detect heat signatures even through smoke and darkness.

Beyond the immediate firefighting, the reporting linked the Georgia wildfire surge to broader environmental conditions and ongoing public health and safety concerns.

“Georgia declares state of emergency as wildfires destroy dozens of homes Wildfires in Georgia have burned more than 39,500 acres and destroyed more than 120 homes, officials have said”

BBC

The Associated Press said firefighters had been battling more than 150 other wildfires in Georgia and Florida that had sent smoky haze into places far from the flames, triggering air quality warnings for some cities.

BBC

AP also said an unusually large number of wildfires were burning this spring across the Southeast, and it quoted scientists saying the threat of fire had been amplified by a combination of extreme drought, gusty winds, climate change and dead trees still littering some forests after being toppled by Hurricane Helene in 2024.

The BBC similarly emphasized drought, quoting Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo in a video statement that “Right now conditions are so dry that even one small spark can quickly turn into a dangerous wildfire,” and it said emergency officials were battling smaller blazes and reporting 32 new wildfires that consumed 50 acres on Saturday.

The BBC also reported that 91 counties had been placed under an outdoor burn ban, which prohibits the burning of rubbish and agricultural materials.

CBS News described how residents faced financial and insurance complications, including Jesse Morgan telling CBS News his insurance denied his claim because “acts of God” aren’t covered, and he said, “I definitely could use some help.”

Looking ahead, AP said more crews were expected to arrive Sunday and Monday and that wind gusts of about 15 mph were expected Sunday, while News4JAX said humidities would drop below 30% through the day and that increased fire activity could force additional mandatory evacuations.