MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Large wildfires are burning in the southeast. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency in 91 counties as fires destroy homes and force evacuations in Georgia and Florida. Emily Jones of member station WABE has this report.
EMILY JONES, BYLINE: The fire in Brantley County, southeast Georgia, seemed mostly under control earlier this week until it rapidly spread Tuesday afternoon. County manager Joey Cason said at a press conference Wednesday that it's still moving, and residents should be ready to evacuate quickly.
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JOEY CASON: This thing is a very dynamic situation that's changing in a matter of moments if the wind kicks in a certain way.
JONES: Firefighters are working to contain this fire, as well as a much larger one farther south near the Georgia-Florida line. Locals are collecting water and food for the fire crews and supplies for people who've lost their homes. Evacuees took shelter at nearby churches. Pastor David Farrier of Nahunta Methodist Church says many people left in a hurry and arrived at his church in distress.
DAVID FARRIER: It was an emergency evacuation and they had no idea what they might go back into. So there was this tremendous amount of anxiety.
JONES: The southeastern U.S. doesn't often see the kind of widespread wildfires that are increasingly common in the West, but much of northern Florida and South Georgia is currently under extreme or exceptional drought, the most severe drought conditions. Georgia State forester Johnny Sabo says that's a driving force behind these fires.
JOHNNY SABO: Under drought conditions, we have that much less water available either in the water table or in our swamps, ditches, drains, lakes. And so the wildfires can spread more rapidly.
JONES: Officials have issued burn bands across the region and are urging locals to heed any warnings or evacuation orders.
For NPR News, I'm Emily Jones in Savannah, Georgia. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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