Top Stories - Fire Forces Evacuations in Southeast Georgia

Homes have been evacuated in Brantley County due to a fast-moving woods fire. The fire is burning northeast of Nahunta in an area called Kneeknockers.

[Jason]

Ruskin School Southeast of Waycross has burned. Listen to locla radio broadcasts 97.7 for further details.

[paragon]

the fire's in ware co. – not brantley

[melissa]

Homes have ben evacuated in Ware County. people who live off of Valdosta hwy up to Ware County High schhol/ The Trembling Earth Recreation Fields have been evacuated. Other living close to CSX Riceyard evacuated and other pre warned to be able to evacuate @ when mentioned.

[James]

There are actually 2 fires in the area. One is in Ware county, the other is in Brantley county in Nahunta. The smoke is unbelievable

[forwhatitsworth]

This is exactly why I do not get my news from ya'll. First of all thank you for the effort. Secondly get your facts straight. The fire in Nahunta (26 miles from Waycross) has caused at evacuations, but those people are sent to Nahunta Elementary. The fire in Ware Co has forced hundreds of people to evacuate and those people are being sent to Waycross Middle. Get your facts straight.

[stevens]

well i dont live there anymore but i been on the phone with my cousin who has a scanner at his house. there are two different fires there is one in ware and brantley they were sending the brantley residents to nahunta elementary at first but now they are supposed to be sending them to ware along with the ware residents the fire in brantley has burned all of the kneeknocker swamp hunting club in which my family has been a member of since it was began it also burnt where i used to live at in nahunta that was on the line of the kneeknockers.all of the people that live in the petty crossing area have been evacuated and the fire has burnt most of that already. so far two have been claimed as dead. there are many counties working the fire including calvary,brantley,clinch,glenn, charlton and many others i know that there are 4 choppers in the air they are getting all of their water from the satilla river and elroys pond both in raybon.there are atleast 3,000 volunteer firefighters and county firefighters fighting the fire if i learn anything new i will post it.

[Kevin]

My sister and her family live very close to Ruskin. They did evacuate after being able to gather some effects from their home. Do appreciate the information everyone is posting here and we will continue to monitor this site and others as new information becomes available. Thanks for your help.

[Valdosta]

This is what "I" know...I'm in Valdosta, and have inlaws all along Swamp Road and in the area of the CSX Railyard. Here's the facts as I've been told by what I would consider 'reliable' sources.

*Valdosta's Eastside FD has sent several trucks and nearly 20 people to help.

*The school in Ruskin is gone...I think that's been said - reports say that the school just got smoke damage, but I'm being told first hand that it is, in fact, gone.

*Georgia Power had linemen in the area, and pulled all of their people out and will not allow them back into the area until the fire is under control.

*Residents on Swamp road were told by officers knocking on their door that they had to evacuate. They were not given an option. I have this from first-hand word from someone who lives on that road. They were (I'm told, unconfirmed)put on busses and evacuated to the middle school.

*Reports are indicating that the fire is burning as far out as Pine Island, and as far out as Kings Roller Rink, which is a few miles South of town on US1...now this may be an indication of the fire in Nahunta...smoke would get that far....I don't know...

*We do know that the Georgia State Patrol is now blocking traffic on Highway 84 from Valdosta, On highway 122 near Cogdell, and reportedly on several other inbound highways into town.

*Some communication is being hampered and lines are indicating "All Circuits Are Busy"...

*The ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) has not yet been activated, at least as far as we can determine from listening in Valdosta. On Ham Radio one broadcaster has indicated they seemingly "have it under control"

that's all I know - will update if anynthing comes up

[shandra wodall]

I'm in florida right know and my house is in nahunta has anyone heard the latest on where the fire is at?I cant find anything on the news down here.

[Valdosta]

There's apparently two fires out there....look at the weather.com radar...it actually is showing the fires because of the louds..

http://tinyurl.com/2awg4c

There's an image. Beyond that, I don't know.

[SS C11]

Who is posting from Valdosta?

[katie]

im at okefenokee tech, I live in homerville, on the way to college this morning, I had to take a detour just to get here, I saw tons of smoke in the distance. Ive been told that they only have about 25% under control.

[shandra]

does anyone know the traveling path of the fire in nahunta right know, and how many acres its burned?

[ccs]

i would like to comfirm if the ruskin elementry school is standing or burned down

[amelia]

I live in Blackshear, GA. My step-mother and I went through waycross this morning. There is alot of smoke around Rice yard but it is difficult to see any fire. I have found a news station that is carrying the stoy (a little bit). I will past the link at the bottom.
amelia
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories...

[amelia]

ccs wrote:

i would like to comfirm if the ruskin elementry school is standing or burned down

According to the news station at 11pm last night it was rumored to be burned down, but was in fact not.
amelia

[Kae]

I live in waycross and The school is in fact, still intact. People from the school board were in it last nite. There is alot of smoke damage, but the building is still standing............

[kelly]

are there any roads closed, hubby is truck driver coming through waycross next 2 hours? please advise

[SHERRI]

I work with two people who live on Swamp Road and it is still burning and some people cant go home but they are letting some go back and get some belongings. There is said to be one confirmed loss of a home, a trailer, possibly deserted. But the winds and the humitity have made it hard to control. Jax says the winds will not die down until around 8:00 pm tonight. The fire is still strong.

[Junior]

kelly wrote:

are there any roads closed, hubby is truck driver coming through waycross next 2 hours? please advise

The only roads closed that I am aware of is HWY 84 at the Flash Foods in Emerson Park to Swamp Road/Manor Millwood Road in Manor, GA. Also Swamp Road is closed from the city limits going to Obediah's to Manor as well on the back road.