OKEFENOKEE NWR, GEORGIA
INCIDENT SUMMARY
Ignition Date/Time/Cause
A wildfire was sparked by a lightning spark on May 6, 2017, around 1700 hours from an unknown cause.
Location
The West Mims Wildfire was reported on April 6, 2017, approximately 2.5 miles NE of Eddy Fire Tower in Okefenokee NWR or 16 miles East of Fargo, Georgia.
RESOURCES
Command Staff
Command is Southern States Type 1 IMT and Atlanta based NIMO (National Incident Management Organization) in cooperation with GA Forestry Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, GOAL (Greater Okefenokee Assoc of Landowners), USFS and FL Forestry.
Fire Personnel + Equipment
There are 489 total personnel along with 6 helicopters, 1 fixed wing Aircraft, 1 MMAS aircraft, 48 wildland fire engines, 38 bulldozers and 1 hand crew.
FIRE STATUS
Fire Behavior
There is minimal fire behavior with creeping and smoldering. Rain fell over the area on Saturday, June 3, 2017.
Fire strikes occurred on W side of Okefenokee Swamp, SE of Antioch Church Rd, FFs to hike in and check.
NW side suppression repair advanced 2 mi along W side of Hwy 177 near Stephen C Foster State Park.
South side of fire near Blitch Road, sprinklers have now turned off.
Fire Tactics/Future Operational Period
Engine crews/heavy-equipment operators to return to salvage logging sites in S and SE portion of fire to resume burying or tearing down/mopping up at at rate of 40-80 per day smoldering slash piles.
Damage Assessment – Acres + Containment Status
152,515 acres (no change) of Southern Rough and timber have been burned but a 65% containment status has been achieved.
Damage Assessment – Threats + Destruction
Numerous structures threatened. Road, area and trail closures in effect. 4 structures have been lost.
Estimated Containment Status
Fire Managers are not expecting containment of this fire until December 1, 2017.
Alerts/Notices
A Temporary Flight Restriction or TFR is still in effect. Flying Drones in Fire Zones cause Fire suppression aircraft to have to land until the airspace has been cleared of all aircraft, including Drones. #NoZonesInFireZones #KnowWhenToFly
Burn bans have been issued for Baker County in Florida and Brantley, Charlton and Ware Counties in Georgia.
Cost-To-Date
The cost-to-date for Fire suppression and containment has reached a total of $445.2 Million.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Hashtags
We are using the following hashtags for this incident: #WestMimsFire #GAwildfires2017 #OkefenokeeNWR
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(c) 2017 The NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 1345 Hours PDT
