Governor Kemp declares emergency amid Georgia wildfire surge
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ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency Wednesday for 91 Georgia counties, ordered the Georgia Forestry Commission and related agencies to mobilize all necessary resources, and the state forester issued a broad outdoor burn ban to reduce wildfire spread amid extreme drought, while air assets and National Guard personnel were activated for response efforts.
The 30-day emergency order allows the Georgia Department of Defense to deploy Guardsmen and air assets and includes anti-price-gouging measures; this week smoke from multiple south Georgia fires reduced air quality across the region, prompting a Code Orange alert in metro Atlanta Thursday and reporting containment at roughly 10 percent in Clinch County and 15 percent in Brantley County.
More context
Timeline
- 1. Persistent drought raised wildfire risk across Georgia earlier this season.
- 2. State forester issued a burn ban covering 91 counties early Wednesday.
- 3. Gov. Brian Kemp declared a 30-day state of emergency Wednesday for 91 counties.
- 4. Georgia National Guard air assets and Guardsmen were activated and deployed to affected areas.
- 5. Smoke drifted north, prompting a Code Orange air quality alert in metro Atlanta Thursday.
Why it matters
Wildfires can affect your health and safety. Smoke from these fires has already triggered a Code Orange air quality alert in Atlanta. If you're in the affected counties, limit outdoor activities. Check local news for updates on air quality and evacuation orders.
Sources
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