CLEVELAND – Forecasters are out with a High Fire Danger advisory for northeast Georgia Friday afternoon into the evening hours, with sustained winds of 10 to 15 MPH expected along with gusts of 25 to 30 MPH. Relative humidity will likely stay above 25 percent. However, dry fuels will add to the high fire danger conditions. It’s advisable that you refrain from any outdoor burning.
White County and Cleveland fire units were kept busy Thursday afternoon with fire calls as high fire conditions developed.
White County Public Safety Spokesman Bryce Barrett said the first call was a residential fire at 3:11 PM on Fortner Lane. White County Fire Services, supported by the Cleveland Fire Department through Automatic Aid, was dispatched to the area.
Upon arrival, fire personnel located the home, which was approximately twenty percent involved with fire. Barrett said, crews swiftly began interior search operations and confirmed that no occupants were present at the time. Within minutes of arriving on scene, personnel achieved a knockdown of the fire and began working to extinguish hotspots within the structure.
The Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office was requested to investigate the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported.
A brush fire call was reported just a few minutes later at 364 Town Creek Road. According to Barrett this was a controlled burn by a homeowner that had gotten out of control. Upon arrival, Cleveland Fire Department’s Engine 13 was able to contain the fire, allowing White County to reallocate units to the nearby residential structure fire.
Barrett said, while the two incidents occurred in close proximity, they are not believed to be related at this time.
Due to the closeness of the two incidents, White County Emergency Management deployed UAS1 (Drone) to provide aerial thermal imaging and scene monitoring. The drone assisted in enhancing situational awareness and provided a critical safety overwatch for fire ground operations.
White County Office of Public Safety was notified by Georgia Forestry of two additional controlled burns conducted elsewhere in the county on Thursday, but Barret said those burns were not connected to either incident above, though smoke from the fires was visible in the Cleveland/Highway 129 corridor.
