Fire crews have contained a large brush fire that began burning on the north end of Rabun County on Friday. Officials say it covered a total of 50 acres of national forest land in North Carolina.
The fire broke out around 3 p.m. Friday off Highway 246 in Dillard and Sky Valley. The cause at this time is still unknown, but the brush fire extended from Rabun County into Macon County, North Carolina, according to officials.
Personnel from the Georgia Forestry Service, North Carolina Forestry Service, Macon County Fire Rescue and Rabun County Fire Services, as well as local public safety crews, worked to contain the flames and manage safety both on the ground and by air.
There were reports that some homes were evacuated as many homeowners watched in fear as the flames crept toward them. Officials say that thankfully, no structures were affected, nor were there any injuries.
“It was horrifying,” says Pat Martin. She credits the Sky Valley Fire Department and Georgia Forestry Department with saving her house and their neighbor’s house. Around 8 p.m. Friday she said they could still see the fire burning on the ridges in the forest across from them. “Our police and fire dept did a super job under some hard conditions! We are thankful!”
While it’s not yet known how this fire began, it further illustrates the increasing danger of wildfires in the region. In 2016, the Rock Mountain Fire consumed some 25,000 acres in Northeast Georgia’s Rabun and Towns counties. More recently, in February of this year, the Unicoi Wildfire burned nearly 200 acres near Unicoi State Park in White County.
