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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/florida-jacksonville-georgia-atlanta-smoke-b2962971.html>
"Wildfires burning across the southeastern U.S. were intensifying Wednesday
after destroying nearly 50 homes in Georgia and forcing evacuations and school
closures in some communities.
Some of the biggest blazes were along Georgia’s coast and between and around
Jacksonville, Florida, a state that is facing one of its worst fire seasons in
decades. It was not yet clear how the wildfires started, but a long drought,
low humidity and strong winds were fueling them.
Georgia’s two biggest wildfires together have burned more than 31 square miles
(80 square kilometers), and at least four other smaller fires have been
reported in the state. The area of the state where the worst fires were burning
is in exceptional or extreme drought, the most dire levels, according to the
U.S. Drought Monitor.
In southeast Georgia, the fast-moving Brantley County fire was threatening more
homes Wednesday after destroying 47 a day earlier, according to Joey Cason, the
county manager.
That fire grew in size by roughly six times in just a half day Tuesday, he
said. Nearly two dozen fire agencies were helping fight the blaze, Cason said
at a news conference Wednesday.
Brantley County Sheriff Len Davis warned residents to be ready to evacuate,
noting that the winds could shift rapidly and unexpectedly.
At least 800 evacuations have taken place in the county and five shelters have
opened, as the fire threatens 300 more homes, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency said.
Another large fire that started in Clinch County had also forced evacuations,
which were underway in multiple communities, the Georgia Forestry Association
said. “This is a serious and evolving situation,” said Tim Lowrimore, president
& CEO of the association.
In Florida, firefighters on Wednesday were battling 131 wildfires that had
burned 34 square miles (88 square kilometers), mostly in the state’s northern
half.
Firefighting equipment was being staged across the state so resources are
closer to the fires, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson said.
“Florida has got one of the worst fire seasons in maybe the last 30 or 40 years
or it’s turning out to be that way,” Simpson said. “We’ve been in drought for
18 months now all across the state.”"
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
