COMMERCE, Ga. – Two days in a row, Banks County Fire and Emergency Services responded to significant fires stemming from controlled burns that escalated out of control, according to fire officials.
On March 1, a house fire at 2354 Highway 326 caused heavy damage. Upon arrival, units found a single-family residence with heavy fire showing. An interior attack brought the fire under control, and all residents were accounted for, says Banks County Fire Chief Steve Nichols. While the cause of the fire was determined to be accidental, the Banks County Fire Department confirmed it originated from a controlled burn that the resident had started.
Firefighters from Commerce, Bold Springs, Jackson County CI, and Lee Arrendale State Prison helped extinguish the blaze.
The following day, March 2, a wildfire broke out on Pine Lake Drive, rapidly consuming eight acres of land. This incident, too, was traced back to a controlled burn conducted during a Red Flag Burn Day, says Nichols. Multiple agencies assisted on the call. No injuries were reported in connection with either fire.
North and Central Georgia remain under high fire danger alerts due to continued dry, windy weather. Refer to local burn permitting authorities before conducting any outdoor burning.
SEE ALSO
Brush fire spreads due to high winds, authorities remind of burn restrictions
