Wildfires Are Raging Through Georgia And Are Devastating Parts Of The State
By Lea Monroe|Published November 16, 2016
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Lea Monroe
Author
Writer for Only In Your State. Scribbling about all things New York and Buffalo related while also keeping you updated on the latest travel news! Inquiries: Lmonroe@onlyinyourstate.com
Dozens of wildfires across northern Georgia have our residents praying to anything and everything for any amount of rain. It was one month ago that the fires began, and they’ve spread nonstop ever since, exacerbated by our state’s drought. With more than 20,000 acres of land already burned, the ongoing wildfires that are still active are making this one of the worst devastations our state has seen in quite some time.
Exactly one month from tomorrow, on October 16th, a lightning strike started the original Georgia wildfire.
Wildfires are spreading like a bad cold all throughout the northern areas of Georgia, so today Governor Nathan Deal signed an executive order for a statewide ban against fireworks due to the drought and serious wildfires. The Georgia Department of Public Health is also urging residents to avoid going outdoors for yard work or exercise and to especially avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
Hundreds of firefighters have been working primarily on extinguishing the large fire that is consuming Rough Ridge.
Hundreds of firefighters, several crews, nearly ten engines, two bulldozers and helicopters have been sent to work on Rough Ridge. As of right now there are three major areas being consumed by wildfires. So far, roughly 20,000 acres have been burned in Rough Ridge, with about 20% contained so far.
For about one week now the Metro Atlanta area has been covered in a blanket of smoke. In just the past week, hospitals in this area as well as Dalton, Gainesville and Jasper have seen a 20% increase in patients that with symptoms that relate to asthma. While doctors are unsure whether or not all of these cases are connected to the wildfires, almost all of the patients lived in areas that were covered in smoke.
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So what other areas are also experiencing wildfires? Currently Lookout Mountain has become increasingly problematic.
One of the major issues Georgia is dealing with in the northwestern region on Lookout Mountain is the fact that leaves are falling, creating a higher risk of re-burn and fires starting up once again in this area. Aside from that, in the northeast, over five thousand acres on Rock Mountain have burned.
Hundreds of residences have now become potentially threatened by the fires, and all our residents are hoping for rain.
Unfortunately we’re hearing that possibly at the beginning of this weekend our wildfire-ridden areas could be hit with a potentially problematic cold front. High winds are expected to hit the northern regions of our state on Friday, causing our Georgia Forestry Commission to grow more and more concerned. Have you seen the smoke that’s now covering Georgia? Is it affecting where you live?
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