The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for most of northern Georgia from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Friday
(Cleveland)- The continued dry conditions across Northeast Georgia has led to an increased awareness by local officials about the high fire danger.
White County officials met Thursday morning to hear what the National Weather Service and the U.S. Forest Service had to say about conditions during a special online weather briefing. With no substantial rainfall forecast for the week ahead and potentially out another 10 days and dryer air behind a frontal passage early Friday, that will further increase the fire danger threat Friday and into Saturday and Sunday.
“In my 30 years with the forest service, I’ve never seen anything quite like this,” referring to the dry condition and fire danger.” ~ Fire Management Officer Mike Davis
The National Weather Service Thursday afternoon issued a Red Flag Warning from 10 AM until 7 PM Friday for much of North and Central Georgia. Forecasters says winds will gust up to 30 miles per hour and relative humidity will be very low, between 25 to 35 percent.
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During the weather briefing Mike Davis, Fire Management Officer for the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in Georgia said, “In my 30 years with the forest service, I’ve never seen anything quite like this,” referring to the dry condition and fire danger.
White County Public Safety Director David Murphy said, there is a burn ban in effect in White County, except for cooking or keeping warm. Murphy said, Georgia Forestry Commission has stationed a team and two pieces of equipment in White County at the Duncan Bridge Road Fire Station during this situation. Murphy also said they will be taking additional action over the weekend, “ with the enhanced fire risk we have been issued by the National Weather Service and the forestry service, we are increasing our staffing levels at our fire stations using our paid staff and volunteers to give us a better response in the event we do have a brush or woods fire,” said Murphy.
Murphy said, with the burn ban in effect if they are dispatched to a fire they will be extinguishing it, unless it meets the previously mentioned conditions.
