Atlanta, Georgia – Dry air and strong winds are creating elevated fire danger across much of Georgia and neighboring South Carolina today, increasing the risk for fast-spreading wildfires through this evening.
According to the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, high fire danger conditions are expected across all of north and central Georgia as much colder and drier air settles into the region. Sustained winds between 10 and 16 mph, with gusts reaching 20 to 30 mph, will combine with low relative humidity values ranging from 25 to 35 percent. In parts of central and eastern Georgia, humidity could briefly dip below 25 percent during the afternoon.
Counties stretching from the north Georgia mountains through metro Atlanta and into central Georgia, including Cobb, Gwinnett, Fulton, Cherokee, Bartow, Bibb, Houston, and Laurens counties, are all impacted. Dry vegetation and dormant winter fuels will allow any fires that start to spread quickly, even though colder temperatures may limit extreme fire behavior.
Across northeast Georgia and the South Carolina Upstate, the National Weather Service offices in Greenville-Spartanburg and Charleston report similar conditions. Gusts up to 25 to 30 knots and humidity near 20 percent will elevate wildfire risk from the mountains near Rabun and Habersham counties through Greenville, Spartanburg, and into the South Carolina Lowcountry, including Charleston, Beaufort, and Hilton Head Island.
Officials urge residents to avoid outdoor burning if possible, check with local burn permitting authorities, and use extreme caution with any activities that could spark a fire. Fire danger conditions are expected to ease later this evening as winds weaken, but dry fuels will remain a concern in the days ahead.
