South Georgia wildfire picks up steam

ST. GEORGE, Ga. — A wildfire burning along the Georgia-Florida border picked up steam Wednesday, fueled by hot, dry temperatures and shifting winds.

“It started to pick up today,” said Tom Stokesberry, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service. “Our lines are going to be tested. Mother Nature is a powerful thing.”

PHOTOS: South Georgia wildfire rages in Okefenokee Swamp

IN-DEPTH: Residents don’t flee fire, stay to help instead

Some 725 firefighters are battling the blaze near the Okefenokee swamp. It is just 12 percent contained and could burn for months.

Although officials have ordered evacuations for the southern half of Charlton County, most people appeared to be staying put.

Travis Thompson said he has no intention of leaving his home or closing his small restaurant, the Woofy Wagon, which stands in the evacuation area.

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What would it take for him to pack up and leave his home?

“Them telling me it’s going to burn down,” he said. “I’ll send my wife and kids away. But I’ll stay till the bitter end.”

Thompson was born and raised in the area, which he said is still dominated by timberlands.

“It’s a town where everybody knows your business, and everybody looks out for everybody,” he said.

His daughter, Destiny, 15, seemed a little more nervous.

“It’s scary,” she said. “I think God has it in his hands. He’ll provide for us.”

MORE SOUTH GEORGIA WILDFIRE COVERAGE

From WSBTV.com: 

>> 100,000-acre fire in wildlife refuge forces evacuations in Georgia

From ActionNewsJax.com:

>> West Mims fire now 144,073 acres

Sky a hazy gray

The smell of smoke hung heavy in the air on Wednesday.

The sleepy, one-traffic-light town has been transformed by the blaze, which continues to grow. Its fiery edge stands only about 4 miles away. Firetrucks and other emergency vehicles crisscross the streets. News crews have stationed themselves in the center of town.

Some streets have been blocked by official vehicles, their blue lights spinning all day long.

The sky is a hazy gray, and the smoke settles in the lungs and stings the eyes. Some people walked around with water bottles in hand. People said even the gnats, which are pretty bad this time of year, seem worse.

The blaze, dubbed the West Mims Fire, has burned 225 miles since it began April 6. It was ignited by a lightning strike.

No homes have been burned yet and no injuries have been reported.

Rainfall fails to stop wildfire near Georgia-Florida line and the wildfire may not be extinguished until November, official says.

‘It’s so unpredictable’

The fire spread by 3,500 acres on Tuesday, though a heavy air mass helped prevent the flames from spreading even farther. It grew by 11,000 acres on Saturday, officials said.

It's unclear how far the fire has spread on Thursday.

The wind picked up on Wednesday, gusting to 15 mph, and temperatures that crested 90 degrees kept the ground around the swamp dry and very combustible.

The fire has already spread well beyond the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, refuge manager Michael Lusk said. He said about 40 percent of the 143,893 scorched acres stand outside the refuge.

He said one bad day could bring the fire to people’s homes.

“It’s so unpredictable,” he said.

He said, everybody, everywhere is talking about the fire.

One person’s comment stuck in Lusk’s head: The devil went down to Georgia and he sat down in the Okefenokee swamp.

Cox Media Group