Okefenokee Swamp Fire Felt In Middle Georgia

Middle Georgia residents woke up Saturday morning to the strong scent of a wood-burning fire. Most of the area is blanketed by a thick smoke generated by the large wildfires burning in South Georgia and the northern parts of Florida. A high pressure system in the area is holding the smoke in as atmospheric conditions are allowing a surface wind from the south to move the smoke northward.

Local officials report visibility problems reported on area interstates and at regional airports. The worst visibility issues have been reported along the I-75 corridor close to the Florida/Georgia border. A similar shift in winds brought smoke to the area last week, but since the usual west-to-east flow has kept the smoke at bay.

The Georgia wildfires are by far the worst to hit Georgia since officials began keeping records. The Okefenokee Swamp fire has burned about 280 square miles since it was started by a lightning strike last week. The fire's size has doubled in less than six days, a rate that has fire officials worried because it is a faster than the burn rate detected during the first major Georgia wildfire that started last month. Many South Georgia and North Florida residents have been evacuated as the wildfires have threatened their homes.

A look at the Georgia Navigator website, which lists accidents and hazardous conditions on Georgia's major thoroughfares, lists several incidents classified as "major incidents" related to the Georgia wildfires. Smoke creates a hazardous condition on the area interstates similar to the way dense fog lowers visibility and reduces reaction times. Motorists are encouraged to slow down when entering areas with smoky conditions to allow for a slower reaction time to conditions in front of them.

While the major Okefenokee Swamp fire was started by natural causes, at least two smaller fires have been started by criminal acts. Two juveniles may be charged in connection with starting brush fires in Jesup, Georgia and Waycross, Georgia. The fires were quickly contained by fire officials, but with the dry conditions all around the state this had the potential to become a life-threatening situation very quickly. Georgia has suffered drought-like conditions for much of the spring. It is unusual this time of year to be behind in rainfall totals because March and April are typically two of the wettest months of the year. Most localities have put in place outside watering restrictions to help preserve water storage in local reservoirs and water storage facilities.