Georgia and Florida firefighters are facing more difficult fire weather conditions Saturday as they grapple with large wildfires that have been compounded by historic drought conditions.
NAHUNTA, Ga. — Historic drought has created dangerous and challenging conditions for firefighters battling massive deadly wildfires across Georgia and Florida this week, with a little relief potentially on the way in the form of thunderstorms.
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One of two major Georgia wildfires jumped a containment line Friday, as the community north of Jacksonville mourned Hilliard, Florida, firefighter, James “Kevin” Crews, who was killed in the line of duty on Thursday battling the Old Dixie Highway Fire.
Flames from the Highway 82 Fire in Brantley County, Georgia, broke containment lines Friday, as the wildfire grew by more than 1,000 acres, reaching 9,578 acres by early Saturday, according to officials.
First responders went door-to-door Friday telling people to leave nearby mandatory evacuation zones.
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray spent much of this week covering the two large wildfires in Georgia. He gives an update on how containment efforts are going for the fires.
Emergency workers said an American Red Cross shelter would be opened in nearby Brunswick to provide those displaced with an air-conditioned space.
Video from FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray showed the devastation caused by the Brantley County fire in Nahunta, including charred cars and burnt down buildings.
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The largest fires are burning across southern Georgia, including the Pineland Road Fire, which has scorched more than 32,000 acres roughly 45 miles east of Valdosta.
Wildfire burning in southeast Georgia on April 22, 2026.
(Georgia Forestry Commission / FOX Weather)
The fires have destroyed nearly 90 homes across southern Georgia amid historic drought conditions.
Earlier in the week, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency across 91 counties and enacted the first mandatory burn ban in the state’s history over the next 30 days.
Wildfire burns in Brantley County, Georgia.
(Brantley County Sheriff’s Office / FOX Weather)
“We’ve got the two most dangerous, biggest, problematic fires anywhere in the U.S.,” Kemp said Friday after touring the damage caused by the two major blazes.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, smoke will continue to blanket parts of the Southeast, which could be hazardous for those with respiratory issues.
Air Quality Alerts remain for the Carolinas, eastern Georgia and the Jacksonville, Florida area.
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A North Collier County fireman helps the Florida Forest Service battle a wildfire on April 14, 2026, in Naples, Florida. The historic drought has triggered evacuations in the area.
(Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Across the state line, several wildfires are raging across northern Florida, including the Old Dixie Fire outside of Hilliard, which claimed the life of Nassau County volunteer firefighter James “Kevin” Crews.
According to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, Crews experienced a medical emergency while battling the 500-acre wildfire on Thursday. The fire has since been contained.
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER DIES WHILE FIGHTING LARGE WILDFIRE IN FLORIDA
Hilliard Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) announces the line-of-duty death of Firefighter James “Kevin” Crews, who passed away on April 23, 2026 following a medical emergency experience.
The nearby Railroad/Crews Rd Fire, south of Jacksonville, has not completely been contained. The fire has scorched more than 4,000 acres and forced Amtrak to cancel several train routes earlier this week.
Burn bans have been in effect across 38 Florida counties, amid the state’s worst drought in 25 years.
Both Florida and Georgia are almost entirely covered in drought conditions, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor.
Wildfire rages in Putnam County, Florida on April 20, 2026.
(Putnam County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook / FOX Weather)
Current forecasts have the region remaining high and dry with very low humidity and gusty winds through Saturday.
Still, after days of dry weather, parts of southern Georgia and northern Florida should see at least a half-inch of rain Sunday as thunderstorms develop in the afternoon.
However, officials said much more precipitation is needed to fully relieve fire and drought conditions.
