Burn ban lifted statewide as two large South Georgia wildfires reach 90% containment

Georgia's statewide burn ban is over, but the fight against two massive wildfires in South Georgia is not.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order Tuesday lifting the temporary burn ban that had been in place across Georgia counties as part of the state's wildfire emergency declaration, citing improving weather conditions and decreased fire risk statewide.

The burn ban was put in place on April 22, when Kemp declared a state of emergency across 91 counties in South Georgia at high risk for wildfires. The emergency declaration was later scaled back on May 5 to 17 counties in the southern part of the state. Tuesday's order lifts the burn ban in all remaining counties, though the state of emergency itself remains in effect.

Kemp's order noted that weather conditions have continued to improve and that the emergency response has shifted toward recovery and rebuilding.

On Tuesday, the Georgia Forestry Commission reported no new wildfires statewide, which is an encouraging sign as crews continue working to fully contain two large fires that have scorched tens of thousands of acres in South Georgia.

The Pineland Road Fire has burned 32,575 acres and is now 90% contained. The Highway 82 Fire has burned 22,420 acres and also stands at 90% contained. Forestry Commission officials cautioned that fuel conditions remain extremely dry, and crews are still actively engaged in patrol, suppression and mop-up operations on both fires.

As part of the ongoing emergency declaration, Kemp's order also suspends federal hours-of-service regulations for commercial vehicle drivers for 14 days to ensure an uninterrupted supply of goods and services, including petroleum products, needed for the emergency response. Oversize and overweight vehicles providing relief are also authorized to travel state roadways under special permits issued by the Georgia Department of Public Safety.