It’s official: after over a month of burning, the Brantley/Hwy 82 fire is officially 100 percent contained, marking the end of frightening and disastrous chapter in Brantley County’s history.
During a House Rural Development Committee meeting Thursday, June 11, the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) gave a full account of the scope and cost of the fire.
“This milestone marks the conclusion of a historic wildfire response effort that brought together firefighters, emergency managers, law enforcement, local governments, state and federal agencies, utility partners, volunteers, and communities from across Georgia and beyond,” the Commission said in a Thursday Facebook post. For the citizens of Brantley County, the fire took a huge material cost — 110 houses were destroyed and 27 were damaged, marking the fire as the one with the most home loss in the state’s history. According to Georgia Forestry director Johnny Sabo, within the fire’s burn footprint, 350 homes were spared.
The 22,419 acre fire, allegedly started by a foil balloon coming into contact with a power line, saw both federal and state forces and funds mobilized. For Georgia Forestry, the fire cost a staggering $20 million to fight — nearly 39% of the organization’s annual $52 million budget.
Sabo also stated that, while their department does not track the National Guard costs, they are estimated to be between $3 and $4 million.
This fire didn’t just set a record for the amount of homes burned. When combined with the Pineland Road fire and various Florida fires this year, the amount of water used to fight them was historic as well.
As Sabo put it, “Between us and Florida this past year, we’ve done more tanker drops in about two weeks than we did in all the other years combined in the histories of our states.”
“We are deeply grateful for the coordination, assistance and patience shown by the residents and communities affected by these fires,” the GFC post continued. “We especially recognize those who experienced loss and disruption during this event. Your resilience has inspired us throughout this response.”
While the fire itself is over, the recovery and rebuilding efforts continue. The federal Small Business Administration is offering disaster relief loan.
Various churches, charities and non-profit organizations have provided everything from food and toiletries, to trailers and temporary housing.
