VALDOSTA — As firefighters continue to increase containment on fires throughout South Georgia and North Florida, additional threats continue to hinder rapid progress.
Pines in the 136,306 acres that have been scorched by the Sweat Form Road and Big Turnaround fires in Ware and Charlton Counties continue to cast off dry needles. Those needles, combined with dried out underbrush, have created fuels with reburn potential within the fire lines. Due to this potential, firefighters continue to keep a weather eye out for possible reburns. These fires are 81 and 45 percent contained, respectively.
These fires also continue to threaten the Fargo area. Though a much-needed shower was seen Sunday, the relief it brought was minimal. The western edge of the fire, called the Bugaboo Scrub Fire, was less than four miles from Fargo at its closest point Sunday. Fire officials met last week in Fargo and noted that if the fire breaks the Swamp’s Edge Break, evacuations would have to be resumed on the east side of U.S. 441. Fargo Mayor Robbie Lee said fingers of the fire broke that barrier last Friday and Saturday, but firefighters quickly doused those threats, according to the Clinch County News.
Crews are working to burn out fuels around the “pocket” of the Bugaboo Scrub Fire, which has burned 136,565 acres in Ware County, adjacent to Stephen C. Foster State Park, and the operation is going well, according to the Georgia/North Florida Joint Fire Information Center. Burnout is continuing slowly around the Moccasin Creek area, near the southeast corner of the fire within the Okefenokee Swamp, but the operation is producing heavy smoke. Winds continue coming from the south blowing smoke from these fires as far north as North Carolina.
The Florida Bugaboo Wildfire, which has consumed 119,501 acres in Baker County, is threatening a number of homes in the area and is within one mile of those structures. The homes closest to the fire are approximately 1 1/2 miles east of U.S. 441. Firefighters are prepared to spray structures with foam in the event the fire jumps control lines. Aircraft have dropped fire retardant slurry on many of the roads in and around the Deep Creek community to reinforce the fire lines.
The perimeter of the Florida Bugaboo fire stretched approximately 120 miles with 50 percent of that already being contained, which means that the fire has burned to the man-made containment lines along approximately 60 miles. While the blaze advances slowly, fire officials want the fire to burn up to the control lines to ensure that it will not flare up in the future.
As this fire continues to edge westward, officials are preparing to establish headquarters in the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. Staff at the park are anticipating as many as 400 people working from the park. The Red Cross will also be located at the park to provide volunteers and support to firefighting personnel.
The park’s general manager, Darrell Brooks, said the park will provide its infrastructure as well as bathhouses, bunkhouses and facilities to emergency personnel. He added that the park “also plans to provide meals and do whatever we can to assist these people whose lives are on the line to protect our communities.”
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