Folkston, GA At approximately noon on Sunday May 19, a wildfire was reported in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge on the northern end of the refuge, about ½ mile east of Okefenokee Swamp Park in Waycross. Crews from both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Georgia Forestry Commission arrived on scene with Type VI engines and tractor plow units. Working until well after dark on Sunday, crews were able to establish a plow line around the fire to create containment and will continue mopping up any smoke that remains on the fire in the coming days. The weather is forecast to be extremely hot and dry for this week and into the holiday weekend, so fire crews will be extra vigilant in ensuring containment is maintained on this fire and that any new starts are extinguished as quickly as possible.
For additional information about the Compartment #1 Fire or the temporary burn ban at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, please call Susan Heisey at 912-496-7836 or email [email protected]. Follow the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Facebook page (@OkefenokeeWildlifeRefuge) for fire updates and on Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6348/