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Volunteer Firefighter Dies Battling Florida Wildfire as Georgia Blazes Destroy Over 120 Homes
A volunteer firefighter died after a medical emergency while fighting a brush fire in northern Florida. In southeast Georgia, wildfires have destroyed more than 120 homes, with thousands under evacuation orders. Officials attribute the fires to human causes amid drought and high winds.
Apr 24, 6:27 PM·2m read4 sources
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A volunteer firefighter died while battling a brush fire in northern Florida, as wildfires in southeast Georgia destroyed more than 120 homes and prompted evacuation orders for thousands more. James 'Kevin' Crews suffered an unspecified medical emergency while suppressing the brush fire, according to the Nassau County Sheriff's Office. He was rushed to a hospital and died Thursday evening.
In southeast Georgia, 87 homes burned in rural Brantley County this week, representing the highest number ever destroyed by a single wildfire in the state's history, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp stated. An additional 35 homes have been lost to a fire in Clinch and Echols counties near the Florida state line.
The fire in Clinch and Echols counties has consumed approximately 50 square miles. The Brantley County fire spans over 11 square miles and continues to grow. The Brantley County fire was 15% contained by Friday, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission.
An estimated 4,000 homes in Brantley County were under evacuation orders, said Georgia Forestry Commission spokesperson Seth Hawkins. Investigators suspect the Brantley County fire was sparked by a foil party balloon that struck live power lines, creating an electrical arc that ignited the ground, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said.
The larger fire in Clinch and Echols counties is believed to have started when a man was welding a gate outdoors, according to Kemp. The Southeast is experiencing an unusually high number of wildfires this spring. Scientists attribute the high number of wildfires to extreme drought, powerful winds, climate change, and dead trees toppled by Hurricane Helene in 2024.
