A fire in the Chattahoochee National Forest has burned at least 200 acres at last report and just before noon Monday still had not been contained. The fire is burning in the Warwoman Wildlife Management Area. Sunday two helicopters were used to check fire growth to the north. Both ground and aviation resources are working to establish control lines, according to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
USFS NEWS RELEASE:
Fire Activity: Control lines have been established at the south end of the fire. Steep and rocky terrain paired with active fire behavior are dictating indirect tactics in many areas of the fire, along with a high concentration of hazardous standing dead trees. These dead fuels contribute to a high spotting potential. Moderate to abnormally dry drought with drier than normal fuel conditions are causing the fire to be resistant to control. Today, crews will be preparing indirect control lines in anticipation of a strategic firing operation. Four other wildfires are being managed by the team, but these other fires are contained and being patrolled and mopped up. Smoke will be visible from the Big Ridge Fire and may settle into Warwoman Valley at night.
Weather: A light rain fell overnight but only amounted to .13 inches. The effects of this rain are not expected to last long. Today’s forecast calls for 65 degrees, minimum relative humidity of 25%, and winds will be southwest in the morning, changing to northwest in the afternoon. Speeds will be 5-10 mph with gusts to 26 mph. The rest of the week will be dry, with the next chance of rain on Sunday.
Evacuations: None.
Closures: Sarah’s Creek Campground, Sarah’s Creek Road (Forest Service Road 156), Bartram Trail from Warwoman Dell to Hale Ridge Road (Forest Service Road 86).
Meanwhile, a grass and woods fire in the Rome area which threatened several homes and resulted in a few evacuations has been ruled “contained.”
HALL COUNTY FIRE
Meanwhile, a grass and woods fire Sunday in North Hall consumed a much smaller area before it was brought under control.)
“The crew didn’t report an amount of area burned,” Hall County Fire Rescue (HCFR) spokesman Bobby Ogletree said Monday. “They did state a tree fell bringing powerlines down with it causing the fire. Georgia Power arrived to deal with the lines and make it safe for our crews to gain better access to extinguish this fire.
“This happened in the 6000 block of Twin Mountain Point (in) Clermont. There were no injuries and their total scene time was 90 minutes.”
