Wildfires Damage 18 Homes in Georgia

Firefighters battle a wildfire Wednesday, April 18, 2007, near Waycross, Ga. (AP Photo/Lewis Levine) (Lewis Levine - AP)

WAYCROSS, Ga. -- Firefighters made slow progress Thursday against a pair of wildfires that covered nearly 50 square miles of tinder-dry forest and destroyed 18 homes. Authorities asked approximately 6,000 people to evacuate.

The fires in southeast Georgia threatened the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, one of the nation's best-preserved wetland areas, said Eric Mosley, spokesman for the Georgia Forestry Commission.

One of the fires jumped a fire break Thursday into the Okefenokee Swamp and sent a thick haze of smoke wafting through Waycross, a city of 15,300 along the swamp's northern edge, said Robin Cole, a spokeswoman for the Forestry Commission. Some 5,000 residents there were asked to leave because of heavy smoke blowing into town. Earlier, 1,000 were ordered to leave.

Robin Fullard fled his home with his 8-year-old daughter as flames closed to within 40 feet on all sides. His brother, who lives nearby, told him the fire destroyed the home soon after.

"It's just metal, just a frame. It burned to the dirt," said Fullard, a 36-year-old construction worker. "We got pictures and a couple of pairs of clothes and that was it."

Higher humidity Thursday helped firefighters make progress containing the larger fire, which was 35 percent contained by evening. It started Monday near Waycross when a tree fell on a power line, then raced through the forest.

The smaller fire, a little over 3 square miles, burned to within five miles of the refuge but was 100 percent contained by Thursday night, Mosley said. He said firefighting crews would be dumping water from helicopters on Friday to put out hot spots.

No deaths were reported, but several firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation or minor injuries, including a firefighter who suffered a broken leg and cuts to his hand.

Southeast Georgia is extremely dry, with rainfall deficits of 6 to 8 inches for the year. Officials worried that stronger wind over the weekend could spread the flames.

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On the Net:

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge: http://www.fws.gov/okefenokee/

Georgia Forestry Commission: http://www.gfc.state.ga.us/