Wildfire in Echols, Georgia

By the 20th of April, the Pineland Road fire that ignited over southern Clinch County crossed into Echols County. On May 1st, the fire was 32,575 acres with 40% containment. The mandatory evacuation order issued for Echols County by the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) and Echols County EMA was lifted on May 1st. Road closures continued for Pineland Rd, Gopher Lope Rd, Register, Worth Ln, Joes Ln, Will Rewis Rd, New Barnes Rd, Gaddis Rd, King Rd, Jesse Ln, May Ln, Chauncey Rd, and Hendley Rd. On May 2nd, a passing cold front brought a soaking, beneficial rain of 1-1.5 inches across the fire with minimal lightning activity. Will Rewis Rd reopened on May 4th. On May 5th, the fire was 65% contained, per the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). On May 9th, the fire was 87% contained per the NIFC. On May 11th, all Echols county roads were reopened. Only private roads (company and club roads) remained closed. The fire was 32,575 acres with 90% containment per the NIFC. On May 15th, the Georgia Forestry Commission revised the fire to be 32,031 acres. The fire was 95% contained on May 22nd. On May 27th, the Level 2 (Set) and Level 1 (Ready) Evacuations were lifted, per Echols County Emergency Management Agency with no evacuations remaining. The estimated cost of the wildfire was around $14-15 million.

Extreme to exceptional drought, dry fuels, and breezy days triggered numerous wildfires in southeast Georgia and northeast Florida in April that continued through the month of May. Multiple rounds of beneficial rain fell across the wildfires in May which helped in the containment of local ongoing wildfires.