JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Fire crews are making progress on the Highway 82 fire burning in Brantley and Glynn Counties.
That fire has destroyed 82 homes, four businesses, and 17 more structures that are still being assessed.
If you look at virtually any post on social media related to the Highway 82 Fire, you’re bound to find comments suggesting the fire was started to push forward plans for a data center.
There were conversations at the local level about a possible data center on the Southside of Highway 82 between Atkinson and Waynesville earlier this year, but those talks stalled in February amid public backlash.
When we asked Georgia Governor Brian Kemp what he made of the conspiracy theories flying on the web, he called them “unfortunate”.
“It’s not helpful,” said Kemp. ”All those people that are behind the keyboard, they should just come down and help volunteer and see what’s happening on the ground.”
Along with the data center conspiracies, many online have questioned decisions on the ground related to the response.
“Firetrucks full of water, and I mean anywhere from three to thirty just sitting and being told not to do anything,” said an anonymous firefighter who has been on the frontlines fighting the Highway 82 Fire in an interview with Action News Jax on Sunday.
Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo explained Tuesday, decisions for crews to stand down are only made when safety concerns become too great.
“These fires, as tragic as they are, is not worth losing one firefighter, one volunteer, one first responder. And the proudest number to report is zero injuries on both fires,” said Sabo.
Additionally, Sabo said there have been some decisions to send crews home, but only to ensure they’re getting rest.
He said some firefighters worked 40+ hours with only an hour or two of downtime in between shifts.
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