Wildland firefighters are continuing to respond to the Chestnut Mountain wildfire grows on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Gordon and Whitfield Counties. Firefighters are also responding to additional new wildfire ignitions in the area. The fire has grown from approximately 400 acres in size to 425 acres. The wildfire began near the Chestnut Mountain Shooting Range on February 26.
The Chestnut Mountain fire is a wildfire, not a planned prescribed fire. The fire is under investigation but appears to be human caused. Please avoid the area for the safety of first responders and allow firefighters to suppress this uncontrolled wildfire.
Currently no structures are threatened. Smoke will likely continue to impact the area near Dalton and Resaca, GA., for several days. An elevated Fire Danger risk will continue into this weekend, especially Saturday and Sunday as very dry air (low relative humidity) returns along with locally gusty winds.
Old Federal Fire
A new wildfire in Murray County located along Old Federal Road approximately 5 miles southeast of Chatsworth, GA., started in the evening on February 27. The Old Federal Fire has grown to approximately 78 acres in size. Firefighters from the United States Forest Service, Georgia Forestry Commission, and Murray County Fire Department are working to create containment lines around the fire.
Forest Service Road 212 (Chestnut Mountain FSR212A and Turkey Creek FSR212B) and the Chestnut Mountain Shooting Range are currently closed until the threat is resolved. Visit the website for the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest for fire updates (www.fs.usda.gov/conf) and on Facebook (@ChattOconeeNF).
