At least eight wildfires continued to tear through parts of southern Georgia and northern Florida on Thursday amid severe drought conditions in the region.
As a result, parts of the Southeast are contending with hazardous air quality resulting from the smoke, with the worst conditions reported near Savannah, Georgia; and Columbia, South Carolina.
A major wildfire in Brantley County, Georgia, was had grown to more than 5,000 acres as of Thursday afternoon and was approximately 15% contained, Blair Joiner, Georgia Forestry Commission regions manager, said at a news conference.
The fire was growing "to the north" but was "under a full suppression strategy with aggressive efforts underway to control it," he said.
Nearly 94% of the Southeast region is experiencing severe to exceptional drought, with the most extreme conditions centered in southern Georgia and northern Florida, where most of the wildfires are.
On Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor released a map highlighting the current drought conditions in Florida. The Florida Panhandle is in a D4 Zone, the highest zone, which historically means rapid groundwater decline. A portion of Florida is in a D3 zone, meaning historically, fire risk is extreme, toxic algae blooms may appear, groundwater levels decline, nesting bird populations increase, and more.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday declared a state of emergency for 91 counties, which amounts to more than half the state.
"With much of Georgia remaining in extreme drought conditions, wildfires have already surpassed the state’s five-year average and continue to spread," Kemp said.
"The emergency declaration allows the Georgia Department of Defense to mobilize the state's National Guard troops for response and recovery efforts," the governor's office said.
State officials have issued a sweeping burn ban — the first in the Georgia Forestry Commission's history — to prohibit yard debris burning, agricultural burning and prescribed fires for at least 30 days.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Fire Management Assistance Grant declarations for counties affected in Georgia.
In a Facebook video posted Wednesday, Georgia Forestry Commission director Johnny Sabo said the state is facing "extreme drought conditions" and that the wildfires have already surpassed the state's five-year average.
"Right now, Georgia Forestry Commission teams are fully mobilized, working alongside local, state, and federal partners to protect lives, property, and Georgia’s forests. This is an all-hands-on-deck effort," Sabo said. "Air resources, heavy equipment, and firefighters are actively engaged in suppression and protection efforts."
On Wednesday alone, the Georgia Forestry Commission reported that it had responded to 34 new wildfires that burned approximately 75 acres. That total does not include the Pineland Road Fire, which is estimated to have burned more than 29,600 acres and is 10% contained, or another fire in Brantley County, now estimated at 4,438 acres with 15% containment.
Three key ingredients typically raise the risk of wildfires: vegetation, an ignition source and hot, dry, windy weather.
Studies have shown that rising temperatures due to climate change are fueling longer wildfire seasons, and making blazes both more frequent and more destructive.
