Since mid-April, Georgia has seen an outbreak of wildfires. Its two largest fires are the Highway 82 fire in Brantley County and the Pineland Road fire in Clinch County and Echols County. 

The Highway 82 fire was caused by the collision of a mylar balloon and powerline and the Pineland Road fire was ignited by a spark from a resident’s welding project. As of May 9, both fires remain active. 

“Georgia currently has both the number one and number two priority wildfires in the country,” Casey Tudor, Georgia Forestry Commission forester and wildland firefighter said. “This means the incident has been ranked as the highest priority for national wildland fire resource allocation.”

To help manage their spread, both fires are being monitored by the Georgia Forestry Commission. The Highway 82 fire, which began on April 20, has reached 90% containment and the Pineland Road fire, which began on April 18, has reached 70% containment.

“Both fires are being contained using full suppression tactics, meaning firefighters aim to put out the fires as quickly and safely as possible,” Tudor said. “On the Highway 82 fire, we are using hand crews, 20-man crews with a crew boss, heavy equipment, such as dozers and excavators, wildland fire engines, structural fire engines, aircraft thermal drones, planes for retardant drops and water tenders.” 

Environmental science teacher Nikolai Curtis believes the fires pose risks for Georgia residents.

“[A] primary concern is whether or not homes and land are at risk,” Curtis said. “Farmers will be worried about impact to their crops and their yields if the fire spreads to their land. Families may be at risk of completely losing their homes and it could be an issue if their homes are uninsured or under-insured.”

James Marshall Shepard, a University of Georgia meteorologist and geography and atmospheric science professor said the fires have the potential to cause major environmental harm.

“Wildfires in Georgia this year are some of the worst we have seen,” Marshall Shepard said.

On April 22, for the first time in Georgia’s history, a temporary burn ban was implemented. The ban was issued by the Georgia Forestry Commission under the supervision of its director, Johnny Sabo. The ban initially took effect in 91 high-risk counties in South Georgia, but has since been reduced to 17. It will last until May 22. 

“Burn bans are an effective tool that can be used by fire managers to prevent human caused wildfires,” Kenneth Jaramillo, , National Wildfire Coordinating Group program manager said. “By banning certain outdoor activities, such as open burning [and] campfires, we are removing the ignition source from the equation. This is also dependent upon notifying the public that burn bans are in place and what activities are prohibited. Getting the message out there is important [and] the public’s cooperation in following the burn ban is just as important.”

According to Jaramillo, burn bans are effective in times when fires can quickly go out of control.

“When various factors such as weather and fuel conditions reach elevated danger levels, a burn ban may be implemented to prevent wildfires and safeguard communities and public infrastructure,” Jaramillo said.

In addition to the temporary burn ban, Georgia is enforcing a mandatory burn ban during the summer.

“Environmental Protection Division implements an annual, mandatory burn ban from May 1 to September 30 to reduce air pollution — specifically ground-level ozone — and to mitigate the risk of wildfires during hotter, drier conditions,” Tudor said. “The ban affects 54 counties in and around the Metro Atlanta area, prohibiting the burning of yard debris and land-clearing waste.”

Knox believes understanding the potential implications of lighting fires is important to wildfire prevention.

“Everybody should take precautions, they should not be out burning things in their backyard and it should be especially true on days where you are more likely to have wildfire issues,” Knox said. “So, people need to pay attention to that, and pay attention to whether there are burn bans in effect, and even if there are not, they need to be careful about what they are doing.”

Similarly, Tudor believes education is essential to limiting the occurrence of man-made wildfires.

“I think the most useful tool to prevent wildfires is public education and awareness,” Tudor said. “Teaching citizens how to prevent wildfires, monitor and put out their fires and educate them on when weather conditions are poor or risky for burning is much more valuable, as humans are the number one cause of wildfires. Wildfires will happen no matter what, but if we can prevent negligent causes of wildfires, like leaving campfires unattended, I think we could decrease the number of wildfires we face.”

Tudor believes total exclusion of fires from ecosystems could disrupt ecological balance. He noted the impact of prescribed burning, a technique where controlled fires are used to manage vegetation. 

“Prevention of wildfires doesn’t mean excluding fire from the ecosystem,” Tudor said. “In the south, fire is extremely important to the ecosystem. Prescribed burning keeps forests healthy while reducing fuel buildup that could cause intense wildfires. Preventing wildfires through active forest management protects lives, homes, timber and infrastructure, reduces extreme fire behavior and saves money and resources. The easiest wildfire to control is the one that never starts.”

WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION: The Highway 82 fire has burned 22,471 acres of land as of May 6. In the process, houses, infrastructure and forest land have been destroyed. “There is clear destruction being caused by the fires in the southern part of the state,” Curtis said. (CREDIT: Georgia Forestry Commission)

According to the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Highway 82 and Pineland Road fires have caused damage to infrastructure, and pose threats to agricultural and commercial activities.

“On the Highway 82 Fire, 110 homes were destroyed, as well as four commercial structures,” Tudor said. “Estimates currently show 27 homes and two commercial structures were damaged, as of May 3. On both fires, large amounts of timber were damaged, as well. Damage assessments will continue on both fires. Pineland Road Fire was primarily on private timberland, so a large amount of the economic damage was from timber loss.”

In total, the Highway 82 fire has burned 22,420 acres of land, and the Pineland Road fire has burned 32,575 acres. Knox believes the outcomes of these fires are devastating, but said proactiveness during the event has saved lives and prevented further damage.

“A lot of people live in those areas, and they’ve had [many houses destroyed],” Knox said. “That is devastating for the people that live there. [However], people have really been paying attention and the firefighters down there have been working really hard to get people evacuated if they are in an area that is dangerous.”

Among these impacts, wildfires can lead to the fatality and injury of animal populations, water pollution, soil degradation, worsened air quality and reduced visibility. 

“Wildfires impact air quality,” Tudor said. “Smoke can travel hundreds of miles affecting many people, especially those with respiratory issues. Smoke can also impact visibility on roads, leading to accidents. Fighting wildfires is also expensive and costs the country billions of dollars a year. The damages to homes, lives and other values like timber revenue and land value is also critically important.”

As wildfires emit hazardous pollutants into the atmosphere, they can be harmful to individuals with respiratory illnesses, Knox said.

“There is the issue of the destruction of things on the ground; there’s also the issue of bad air quality,” Knox said. “When the fires burn, there is a lot of smoke and ash and [pollutants] that enter the air. It can cause health problems for people with respiratory diseases, and so that can be an issue, as well. The destruction on the ground, as well as the air quality issues, are both important factors.“

Annually, millions of people are affected by natural disasters. For this reason, Knox believes being weather-conscious is important for preserving the environment and minimizing the impact of harmful weather events.

“I think people need to keep in mind that weather will impact you in a lot of ways,” Knox said. “Even if the climate wasn’t changing, we would still have the potential for damage, so it’s very important to continue to be aware of what the weather is and how it might affect you. I think that being weather-aware is something that we can all do [to prevent further damage].”