High fire danger over the weekend keeps local firefighters busy

Fire in an outside storage shed fire on New Horizon Drive in Walnut Grove on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. Photo credit: Walton County Fire Rescue

WALTON COUNTY, GA (Oct. 6, 2023) – High fire warnings were out over the weekend due to dry conditions and high humidities and the reason for the warnings was definitely evident in the local area.

Walton County Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Craig League said it was a busy afternoon and evening Sunday for fire crews. WCFR crews responded to six incidents just between 1 and 8:30 p.m.

1.) At 1:51 p.m. responded to a brush fire on Orchard Circle in Monroe.

2.) At 2:10 pm responded to a vehicle fire on Hwy 11 at Frost Road.

3.) At 4:33 pm responded to an outside storage shed fire on New Horizon Drive in Walnut Grove.

4.) At 5:12 pm responded to a fire involving a pole barn on Chandler Ct in the Gratis Community.

5.) At 5:52 pm responded to a brush fire on Hwy 20 near Creekwood Drive.

6.) At 8:25 pm responded to a woods fire on Lee Peters Road.

There is no high fire warning today, at least not yet, but there also is no hint of rain until Thursday and even then the chance is less than 50 %. Hopefully it will materialize and dampen the ground a little.

But in the meantime, although we are out of the burn ban which is in force from May 1 to Sept. 30 each year, officials urge caution due to current conditions.

“We need to remind everyone that we are experiencing a moderate drought in our area. With the frost from this week sending grasses into dormancy, the dry conditions and tinder fuels can easily lead to brush fires,” League said. “We caution everyone to be careful with controlled burns, recreational fires, and fire pits.”