Trending Now - Rapidly Spreading Georgia Wildfire Exceeds 31 Square Miles
WHO:
ABC News - Brantley County Manager Joey Cason reported on the wildfire situation.
NPR - Susie Heisey is a spokeswoman with the Southern Area Incident Management Team.
NPR - James "Kevin" Crews was a volunteer firefighter with the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.
WHAT:
ABC News - The Pineland Road Fire has destroyed more than 100 homes.
ABC News - The Highway 82 Fire is now reported to be only 6% contained.
ABC News - Crews responded to 10 new blazes throughout Georgia on the same day.
ABC News - The Pineland Road Fire has scorched more than 50 square miles (130 square kilometers) and destroyed at least 35 homes.
ABC News - The Highway 82 Fire has destroyed at least 87 homes and burned more than 35 square miles (90 square kilometers) as of the latest update.
ABC News - Crews responded to 10 new blazes throughout Georgia on the same day.
ABC News - A wildfire in southeastern Georgia has grown to exceed 31 square miles (80 square kilometers).
ABC News - The Highway 82 Fire has destroyed at least 87 homes and is only 7% contained.
NPR - A second fire in Clinch and Echols counties has burned more than 46 square miles (121 square kilometers) and destroyed at least 35 homes, with only 10% containment.
ABC News - Evacuation notices may be issued for residents in the affected areas.
WHERE:
ABC News - The Highway 82 Fire is located in Brantley County, Georgia, about 35 miles (56.3 kilometers) north of the Florida state line.
NPR - The second fire is located about 70 miles (110 kilometers) southwest of the Highway 82 Fire, near the Florida state line.
WHEN:
ABC News - The Highway 82 Fire has been burning since April 20.
ABC News - The second fire was reported to have started from sparks from a welding operation.
WHY:
ABC News - The Highway 82 Fire was started by a foil balloon hitting live power lines, creating an electrical arc that ignited combustible material.
NPR - The second fire was caused by sparks from a welding operation.
NPR - An unusually large number of wildfires are attributed to extreme drought, gusty winds, climate change, and dead trees from Hurricane Helene in 2024.
HOW:
ABC News - Heavy rain slowed the progress of the wildfires, allowing crews to make some progress in containing the blazes.
ABC News - Heavy rain slowed the progress of the wildfires over the weekend, allowing crews to make some progress in containing the blazes.
ABC News - Firefighters are battling more than 150 other wildfires in Georgia and Florida, which have caused air quality warnings in some cities.
ABC News - More firefighting crews are expected to arrive to assist in controlling the fires.
(UPDATED April 28, 2026 01:29 UTC)
The Pineland Road Fire has devastated more than 100 homes, while the Highway 82 Fire is currently only 6% contained. On the same day, crews responded to ten new blazes throughout Georgia, but heavy rain has helped slow the wildfires, allowing firefighters to make some progress in containment efforts. As the situation develops, officials continue to monitor the fires closely.
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(UPDATED April 27, 2026 17:25 UTC)
The Pineland Road Fire has scorched more than 50 square miles and destroyed at least 35 homes, while the Highway 82 Fire has devastated at least 87 homes and burned over 35 square miles. On the same day, crews responded to 10 new blazes throughout Georgia, but heavy rain over the weekend helped slow the progress of the wildfires, allowing firefighters to make some headway in containing the flames. As the situation develops, the focus remains on protecting communities and managing these challenging conditions.
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(UPDATED April 27, 2026 07:46 UTC)
A wildfire in southeastern Georgia, known as the Highway 82 Fire, has now spread to over 31 square miles and has destroyed at least 87 homes, with only 7% containment reported. In addition, a second fire in Clinch and Echols counties has burned more than 46 square miles and destroyed at least 35 homes, currently at just 10% containment, prompting potential evacuation notices for residents in the affected areas. The Highway 82 Fire was ignited by a foil balloon hitting live power lines, while the second fire was sparked from a welding operation, and firefighters are currently battling over 150 other wildfires in Georgia and Florida, leading to air quality warnings in some cities.