Georgia Department of Corrections inmate fire teams are assisting with the Brantley County fires (Courtesy of Georgia Department of Corrections)
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. – About 9,500 acres are now burning in the Highway 82 Fire in Brantley County, with at least 100 homes lost.
Highway 82 reopened to traffic, but could close again as smoky conditions continue.
An overnight infrared flight has mapped the fire at approximately 9,572 acres, according to the Brantley County Sheriff’s Office. Infrared flights are conducted using specialized sensors that detect heat signatures, even through smoke and darkness, allowing fire crews to identify active fire lines, hotspots, and areas that may still pose a threat.
Gov. Brian Kemp surveyed the wildfire response along with the Georgia National Guard and other state leaders on Friday before sharing an update at the command center at the Waycross-Ware County Airport.
Aaron Farrar joins News4JAX as a weekend morning reporter after working for a year at WFXR in Roanoke, Virginia, as a morning news reporter and primary fill-in anchor.
Briana Brownlee is excited to call Jacksonville home and join the News4JAX team. She joins us from Southwest Florida, where she reported at Fox 4 News in Fort Myers. Before making it to the Sunshine state, she got her start in Rapid City South Dakota as the morning reporter and later transitioned into the weekend Sports Anchor.
