Hundreds of wildfires scorch southern Georgia, 91 counties under State of Emergency
Hundreds of wildfires continued burning across southern Georgia on April 22, 2026, prompting authorities to place 91 counties under a State of Emergency for at least 30 days. The fires have burned more than 14 000 ha (35 000 acres) this month, destroyed dozens of structures, and forced evacuations as drought conditions persist.
Highway 82 fire in Brantley County, Georgia, on April 22, 2026. Credit: Brantley County Sheriff's Office
91 counties in southern Georgia were put under a State of Emergency on April 22 as hundreds of wildfires continue to scorch the state. The emergency will remain in effect for the next 30 days unless renewed.
The fires are being fueled by extreme drought conditions across the state. A burn ban was also issued earlier for the same counties and will remain in effect for the same period as the emergency.
“With much of Georgia remaining in extreme drought conditions, wildfires have already surpassed the state’s 5-year average and continue to spread,” said Governor Brian Kemp.
“My team and I are working closely with Georgia State Forester Johnny Sabo and his team, along with federal, state, and local officials, to ensure we are doing everything possible to combat the fires and provide assistance to affected communities. We are praying for the families who have lost their homes in these devastating conditions, as well as for the first responders working around the clock.”
While many blazes have been contained and suppressed over the last week, over 100 wildfires remain active across the state. These fires have collectively burned over 14 000 ha (35 000 acres) of land this month as of April 22, prompting more than 200 fire-related restrictions according to the Georgia Forestry Commission. Multiple road closures and mandatory evacuation orders have been issued across the state.
The Pineland Road Fire is currently the largest in the state, having scorched nearly 12 000 ha (30 000 acres). The fire had earlier expanded to over 6 000 ha (16 000 acres), following which it nearly doubled in size once again, reaching approximately 11 980 ha (29 606 acres) and standing at 10% containment as of April 22.
The Highway 82 Fire has scorched through 2 020 ha (5 000 acres), standing at 15% containment. 48 homes have been lost, and an estimated 1 000 homes are threatened by the blaze in Brantley County.
Meanwhile, Fox Weather reports that fires across Georgia have destroyed at least 54 structures, with six to 10 pets being lost in the fires. At least 120 people have been evacuated, with the number likely to increase.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) declarations for both the Pineland Road and the Highway 82 fires. A federal Incident Management Team (IMT) is also being called up to assist with the response.
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References:
1 Current Wildfire Information and Resources – Georgia Forestry Commission – Accessed at 08:15 UTC on April 22, 2026
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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