UPDATE: Chattahoochee Forest wildfire nearing 500 acres

10:00 a.m. UPDATE. WEDNESDAY 3/26/25:

The fire burning in Rabun County in the Chattahoochee National Forest is nearing 500 acres and remains “zero percent” contained, according to the latest advisory from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Another 180 acres have been consumed the past 24 hours and as of 9:30 Wednesday, 480 acres had been charred.

USFS NARRATIVE:

“Due to high winds and low relative humidities the Big Ridge Fire grew Tuesday. Late in the day the fire made a significant run and crossed the initial control lines on the northeast side and is now in the headwaters of Addie Branch. Firefighters are working on options for continued direct attack on the fire in this area.

Fire Activity: On the north side of the fire a line has been constructed from Rabun Bald to Saltrock Gap. If conditions allow, a strategic firing operation will occur along this line today to secure this flank of the fire. Lines were also constructed east from Rabun Bald towards Coldspring Gap and will serve as the primary control line in this area. Secondary control lines will be constructed from Rabun Bald towards Beegum Gap and then east towards Hale Ridge Road (Forest Service Road 7). Control lines have been established at the south and west sides of the fire and yesterday crews worked to improve these lines. Substantial smoke will be visible from the Big Ridge Fire today and may settle into Warwoman Valley at night.

Weather: Low humidity and gusty winds will lead to dangerous fire conditions today. A Red Flag Warning has been issued for portions of northern Georgia where the most hazardous conditions are expected. Today’s forecast calls for 65 degrees, minimum relative humidity of 15%, and winds will be northwest with sustained speeds of 13 mph and gusts of 28 mph. The rest of the week will be dry, but winds will be less strong. The next chance of rain is 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 7).”

About the Author

Ken Stanford is Online News Editor for GLORY 97.5, a position he has held since August 2022.

Ken was born in Moultrie, Georgia, and says he knew from the time he was 5 or 6 he wanted to be a “radio announcer.” That dream was realized when he was hired by Moultrie radio station WMTM in 1960 at the age of 15 as a weekend disc jockey. A 1963 graduate of Moultrie (now Colquitt County) High School, he has spent his whole career in Georgia working for stations in Atlanta, Marietta, and Gainesville – most recently as News Director for 40 years at WDUN in Gainesville. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

Ken retired in 2011 but came out of retirement last year to help GLORY, on a part-time basis, beef-up its online news presence.

He is the recipient of many Associated Press awards and is a former judge of state and national Associated Press broadcast news contests. In 2005, he was presented with the Georgia Associated Press Broadcasters Association’s President’s Award for Excellence in Journalism and in 2019 was inducted into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame.

He lives in Gainesville with his wife of 52 years, the former Sandra McKnight of Clio, Alabama, and they have one child, a daughter, Lisa, who lives in Cumming with her family.