BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. – A wildfire that sparked two weeks ago in Brantley County has left a trail of devastation, burning more than 35 square miles and destroying more than 100 homes. As firefighters continue to make progress with the fire being 85% contained, residents are beginning to return and face the difficult reality of what remains.
Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian humanitarian nonprofit, has responded by putting boots on the ground and heavy equipment in the yards of burned-down properties to help families sift through the charred remains.
At a property off Gatewood Drive in Hortense, volunteer crews suit up in Tyvek suits, masks and double gloves before heading into the debris, rotating in and out every 15 minutes due to the heat.
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Using screens, volunteers carefully sift through ash and wreckage in search of items that may have survived like wedding rings, jewelry and family heirlooms.
Aaron Richards, program manager with Samaritan’s Purse, says work like this helps families find even the smallest amount of hope in rubble.
“Next thing you know, we’ve got grandma and grandpa’s rings or whatever it might be. That’s the starting of hope, the starting of a rebuild,” Richards said.
But for Richards and his team, the work goes beyond the physical.
“Core mission is the gospel, right? And so this gives us the opportunity to not only provide hope, but also start telling people about Jesus,” Richards said. “Our main goal is to let people know that God loves them and that he’s provided a group of people that want to love them like he would have — they come out here and help them, and so they don’t have to do it alone.”
The crews working Brantley County properties include national volunteers who travel with Samaritan’s Purse, as well as local volunteers from nearby churches and towns. The organization is operating out of Hickox Baptist Church and is booked out through the coming week. The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains also provide support for families.
The homeowner, who declined to speak on camera but allowed our crews to be there, confirmed his family has owned the property for decades and plans to rebuild on the same land.
If you would like to help Samaritan’s Purse, you can sign up to volunteer at spvolunteer.org.
Homeowners in need of assistance can call (833) 747-1234.