Fire officials say a malfunctioning residential flue pipe sparked a fire that burned 25 acres and threatened homes on Yonah Mountain.
The wildfire broke out Sunday afternoon, March 7, in the area of 4092 Helen Highway. Firefighters from White County, Cleveland, Helen, Lee Arrendale, and units from the Georgia and U.S. Forestry Service responded to the incident. They arrived to find the flames moving southeasterly, posing danger to homes along Yonah Mountain Road.
“Units staged at various locations along Yonah Mountain to protect structures using hand tools and handlines in some instances,” says White County Public Safety Director David Murphy.
Forestry units plowed a break around the fire and conducted back burns through the evening. They were on scene for approximately eight hours and succeeded in holding back the flames and extinguishing them. The fire did not damage any structures and there were no reports of any injuries.
Murphy says a high fire danger statement was issued earlier in the day by the National Weather Service.
Warmer temps raise fire risk
Sunday’s fire marks at least the fourth time in two weeks that area firefighters have been called to extinguish out-of-control outdoor fires. Habersham firefighters also responded to a brush fire Sunday. The fire burned about a fourth of an acre off Chisom Trail north of Clarkesville. The landowner told officials he did not have a burn permit. On March 4, a White County homeowner feared for his home’s safety after his outdoor burning got out of control. And the Long Mountain fire in White County consumed approximately 15-20 acres when it broke out on February 24.
As outdoor temperatures rise, so does the threat of wildfires, officials caution. Warmer temperatures and lower relative humidity make fuels such as leaves, sticks, and other brush easier to ignite. Stronger winds supply oxygen to fire, preheating fuels in its path and transporting embers ahead of it.
When hot, dry, and windy conditions occur simultaneously, wildfires can spread quickly.
The U.S. Forest Service is trying to get ahead of the danger by conducting controlled burns in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. In recent days, fire managers oversaw burns in the Shirley Grove area near Turnerville, the Lake Russell Wildlife Management Area near Toccoa, and on property northwest of Blairsville.
The National Weather Service issued another high fire danger alert Monday, March 8. Please refer to your local burn permitting authorities concerning whether you may burn outdoors. If you do burn outside, use extreme caution.
