Capt. Mark Faulk with the Bloomingdale Fire Department outside Savannah throws a sub sandwich to alligators in a pond at Okefenokee Swamp Park early Monday afternoon. Faulk was on a break from fighting the fires that have burned all around the park. (May1)

Ty Hayman with the Georgia Forestry Commission has a radio to talk to a spotter aircraft as a hot spot flares up in a "dirty burn" area of the massive fire Monday afternoon near Waycross. A dirty burn area is one where a fire left areas unburned.

A charred State Forest Boundary sign marks the edge of Laura Walker State Park, where on Monday investigators were looking into the possibility arson was involved. Crews worked Monday to contain the still-growing wildfires south of Waycross.

Disasters in 2 counties will be declared official

By Gordon Jackson, The Times-Union

WAYCROSS - Gov. Sonny Perdue is scheduled to return to Waycross today for the second time in 10 days, this time to declare Ware and Brantley counties disaster areas.

The declaration will make the two counties eligible for additional state and federal aid for the residents of 18 Ware County homes destroyed by wildfire that has burned since April 16. The persistent wildfire has consumed more than 82,200 acres and spewed heavy smoke throughout South Georgia and North Florida. More than 16,400 acres of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge are included in the estimate of burned timberland.

The fire, which started northwest of Waycross, has burned as far south as the Race Pond community, which is halfway between Waycross and Folkston.

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, who toured the area Monday, said the disaster declaration will also provide financial aid for victims who have lost their homes and additional help for the estimated 800 firefighters battling the two wildfires.

Other fires have started burning in nearby Brantley, Charlton and Atkinson Counties. These fires are all unrelated, but are further evidence of the extreme drought conditions in Georgia right now.

Road Closures/Evacuations/School Closure Road Closures: US Highway 1 between mile marker 1 and 16 (Hatcher Point Road to Race Pond Road) and in Charlton County, just north of Folkston to Waycross. State Route 177. Route 15/121 in Brantley County from mile post Hoboken to the Charlton County Line. All state routes in Atkinson County are closed. Evacuations: Race Pond Area (Carter Community Rd., Kingfisher Landing, Dowling Rd.). Schools are closed in Atkinson County. Fire Advisory for Uptonville and Mattox areas.

Sweat Farm Road/Big Turnaround Fire

Georgia Forestry Commission and partnering local, state and federal agencies are working to make progress on containment. The fire has not crossed US Hwy 1. Fire crews are strengthening containment to protect private/public property and forest resources. Crews are staged along the fire in case there are any flare ups and continue to reinforce the firebreak lines along US Hwy 1.

Crews are looking for long term burning spots in already charred areas and strengthening the lines by mopping up where the fire has already been. Fire is used through controlled burns to lessen the fuels on the forest floor so that the fire will burn less intensely when it reaches that area. Georgia Forestry Commission Rangers are highly trained and skilled in protection people, their property and our forests.

Structural protection in the Swamp Park is proceeding. The burning of the swamp will, in the long-term, ultimately benefit the swamp Wilderness habitat, which is a fire-dependent ecosystem. Okefenokee Swamp Park, Dixon Memorial State Forest/WMA, south of Waycross, are closed until further notice. The Kingfisher Landing Unit of the Okefenokee NWR,in Race Pond is closed. Wilderness Overnight Canoe Trails are closed until further notice.

Residents of Waycross, Jacksonville and neighboring communities to these fires need to continuously monitor official advisories for the status of the fires and the potential for harmful smoke inhalition. Anyone with respiratory illness should stay indoors.

Residents need to be mindful of daily outdoor activities. Sparks from lawnmowers, outdoor grills and vehicles may ignite a fire in these extremely dry conditions.