Wildfire Halts Traffic on 280
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A wildfire shut down U.S. Highway 280 for a short time on Thursday, February 27, as firefighters and foresters worked to contain a controlled burn that spread quickly.
According to Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency Director Donnie Daniels, the local Georgia Forestry Commission was completing a controlled burn on the Wheeler County side of the Oconee River near the U.S. 280 bridge when the wind caused the fire to jump the river and spread to the Montgomery County side of the river banks. Because of the dry conditions, the fire continued to spread, continued from page
causing it to burn several acres on either side of U.S. Highway 280 in Montgomery County.
Local fire departments and Georgia Forestry Commission employees worked to control the blaze, as they attempted to extinguish the flames and monitor its spread through cutting firebreaks. A helicopter and plane also assisted in the efforts, as these aircrafts dropped water onto the fire.
“Firefighters and first responders stayed on top of things and helped to save several houses,” Daniels explained, as he shared that no structures were burned in the blaze. “It could have been disastrous if these responders and the forestry commission didn’t respond as quickly as they did.”
The fire was 100% contained within a few hours, and the highway was reopened.
A burn ban was put in place in Montgomery County for March 1-2; yet, the Georgia Forestry Commission is urging Montgomery County and the remainder of the state to avoid burning in the current weather conditions because of an increase of wildfires within the state.
On Saturday, March 1, the Georgia Forestry Commission reported that they had responded to over 137 wildfires, which had burned 2,390 acres across the state.
“The number one cause of these fires is escaped debris burning,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo. “Fortunately, our crews have been able to respond aggressively to keep individual fire sizes small. However, we need the public’s vigilance for preventing wildfire in the days ahead.”
