Bugaboo Scrub Fire

In April, 2007, wildfires started in the Okefenokee Swamp, most of which is located in Georgia. By mid-May, this fire had not only become the largest fire in Georgia history, but it had spread over the Florida border and had become the largest fire in Florida's history as well.

Additionally, there are several other wildfires burning in far southeastern Georgia and scattered throughout much of Florida.

Georgia

File:Morning Haze.jpg

A view from Henry W. Grady High School in Atlanta, Georgia shows a light haze during the early morning of May 22, 2007.

By April 20th, one fire had entered the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, and was about five miles or eight kilometers away from Waycross. This fire started when a tree fell on a power line on April 16th, during high winds (caused by the April 2007 nor'easter and a strong high-pressure system), and low humidity along with drought conditions. As of April 30th, it has already burned about 80,000 acres (125 square miles or 325 square kilometers), about 20% of which is in the refuge. It has also destroyed 22 homes, and caused the evacuations of over 1000 people. The American Red Cross is helping many of them, and the governor of Georgia has made a disaster declaration, making Ware and Brantley counties eligible for government aid.

A fire break 12 miles or 20 kilometers long was bulldozed through the pine forest to protect the city, however there have been breaches of the line.

On April 18th, another fire near Nahunta was 5000 acres (8 sq. mi. or 20km²), a third near Fargo was 2200 acres (3½ sq. mi. or 9km²), and yet another near St. George was 1200 acres (2 sq. mi. or 5km²).

Due to extremely dry and warm conditions, the region continues at highly-elevated fire danger, and the GDNR has implemented a statewide outdoor burning ban, in addition to the annual May to September smog-reducing ban in metro Atlanta.

Smoke has at times reduced visibility as far south as central Florida, and on other days was seen and smelled as far northwest as Atlanta, and reportedly even Chattanooga in southeast Tennessee. Smoke has closed several roads in the area, including U.S. 1, which firefighters (including many from other states) have managed to prevent the fire from jumping.

Arson is suspected in several small fires which have started in the area, and there have been arrests.

By May 9th, the main fire had consumed over 116,000 acres (180 sq. mi., 470km²). Subtropical Storm Andrea, which some had hoped might bring relief, may actually have exacerbated the situation, as it brought very little rain (especially inland) and drove strong winds into the fire. Many cite these winds as the reason that the fire blew across the border into northeast Florida. Smoke has been blown all the way down to Fort Lauderdale in south Florida, putting the local air quality index in the unhealthy range. [1] Smoke later drifted across southern Alabama and even to Meridian, Mississippi.

The Pleasant Hill fire, a relatively small fire, started in the north Georgia mountains on the Gilmer/Murray county line on May 14th. It was burning on private and Chattahoochee National Forest lands near Fort Mountain, and was about 930 acres or 3.7km². [2]

On May 22, 2007, residents of Georgia from Southern Georgia to Metro Atlanta awoke to a blanket of smoke across the horizon. A strong smoke smell was very clear, and there have been reports of people with irritated eyes, noses and lungs. Some people with asthma have been rushed to the hospital as a result of the accompanying smog.

Florida

On May 8th, the Bugaboo fire was started by lightning at Bugaboo Island in the Okefenokee, and soon crept over the state line into Florida (and hence became the retronymed Bugaboo Scrub fire in Georgia). It expanded extraordinarily quickly from May 9th to May 10th, and by May 16th had grown to 120,000 acres (380 square miles or 980km²), making it the largest in the state's history.[3] This was due to winds from the storm, and due to moving into even drier land outside of the swamp, including parts of Osceola National Forest. In addition, there are at least 200 other fires reported throughout the state, including a significant one in Collier County in southwest Florida.

The major fire which entered from Georgia has caused the period closures of Interstate 75 from the state line (and at times as far north as Valdosta) to Interstate 10. I-10 has also had sections closed as well, sometimes as long as 40-mile (65km). The detour by the Georgia State Patrol and Florida Highway Patrol doubled the distance to travel between Valdosta and Gainesville (from 90 miles to 180) and has at least tripled the time normally required.

Hundreds were evacuated from homes in Columbia County, Florida late on May 10th, and a state of emergency was declared.

External links

• FCN story
• Latest NWS fire weather advisory for Ware county
• "Smoke From Ga. Fire Blankets Central Fla., Prompts Flood Of 911 Calls". Local 6. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
• NASA satellite picture and article
• Orlando Sentinel article
• Florida Department of Forestry daily report
• St. Petersburg Times article, May 15
• WSAV TV article