Severe Storms With Tornadoes, 60 MPH Winds Target GA: See Latest Timeline

State officials say weekend rainfall did not fully curtail the massive Georgia wildfires that have been burning for at least a week, but forecasters said severe storms with 60 mph winds are expected Tuesday.

The Georgia Forestry Commission on Monday hoped Sunday's rain slowed down fire activity enough for crews to make "good progress."

Overall, the GFC has responded to fewer new wildfires than in previous days. On Sunday, crews tended to 10 new fires that stretched across 19.7 acres in Georgia.

Still heavily burning in the state's southern region, the wildfires in Brantley and Clinch counties have been persistent for about a week.

Other parts of the region have also been impacted by the wildfires, including in Echols County.

At a news conference last week, Gov. Brian Kemp said rain was needed. Though forecasters are predicting more rain this week, it is unknown if the downpour will be enough to fully douse the flames ripping through Georgia towns.

A state of emergency and burn ban remain in effect for 91 Georgia counties.

Weather Transitions To Wet Pattern

While severe drought conditions may have helped lead to the wildfires, the GFC said shifting winds is causing challenges for the Pineland blaze in Clinch. The area was experiencing very low relative humidity.

Further north, smoke and haze were present in metro Atlanta, but officials have not announced any major wildfires.

The National Weather Service's Peachtree City office is instead predicting hail of at least 1 inch, 60 mph wind gusts and possible isolated tornadoes in north Georgia.

The storms will move in after a cold front Tuesday and could stay around Wednesday morning.

"Isolated damaging wind gusts could blow trees down and lead to localized power outages. Hail up to an inch could cause localized damage to roofs and vehicles. Given the timing, storms could impact the morning commute in some locations," the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency said Monday.

Atlanta was placed under a Level 1 marginal risk for severe weather while areas further northwest near the Georgia-Alabama line were under a Level 2 slight risk.

Rain Not Enough To Combat Stubborn Brantley, Clinch Fires

The wildfires in Clinch and Brantley counties were deemed the two "most dangerous" across the nation, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Friday.

In Brantley, Atkinson and Waynesville were being hit by a fire that has lasted since April 20. The blaze has resulted in the most significant home loss in state history, Kemp said.

Brantley is currently under the highest level of drought, exceptional.

The GFC said the fire sparked due to a mylar balloon that landed on a power line, leading to an electrical arc that ignited nearby vegetation.

The fire was at 15 percent contained Friday; however, it dwindled to 6 percent by Monday, the Southern Area Incident Management Team reported.

The fire is burning through 22,615 acres, and more than 400 personnel were tending to the fire.

Brantley County Manager Joey Cason, in an update Monday, said residents have been wondering when they can return to their homes.

"Safety is the key issue," he said. "We'll get you in your homes just as quick as we can and open those roads just as fast as we can. The fire is not dead. Wind is still blowing."

Brantley received 0.4-0.8 inches of rainfall from an isolated thunderstorm Sunday night.

"It is important to know that this amount of rain will not extinguish the fire completely, but rather give firefighters a a much needed break from the extreme fire behavior that had been seen to this point," officials said.

Firefighters planned to check for "fire weakened trees and snags that may be further stressed from the rainfall," officials said.

The Pineland Road blaze, which ignited on April 18, on Monday threatened 187 homes and 123 minor structures in 72 hours, the GFC said.

It burst due to a stray spark that fell on the forest floor during a welding operation, igniting surrounding vegetation, the GFC said in an update.

The fire has torn through 32,331 acres and continues to stand at 10 percent containment. The Pineland fire response includes 184 personnel and 72 resources.

Hunting camps, commercial timber, outbuildings and commercial bee operations around the Fruitland and Bamberg areas are also at risk.

"Widespread damage to industrial timber production has already occurred and is imminent," the GFC said.

Fire conditions threatened Echols County, and smoke impacts jeopardized Valdosta, Homerville and Fargo, the GFC said.

There were no injuries as of early Monday in Echols, the commission said. However, there were several road closures in Clinch and Echols, and the latter underwent a mandatory evacuation.

Community Supports South Georgia

Kemp praised the state for supporting south Georgia communities.

In a Facebook post published Monday, he said:

"When tragedy strikes, Georgians show up for each other. Marty, the girls and I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and donations from the people of our state for their neighbors in need who have lost so much to the wildfires. Hardworking men and women have taken in those who have lost their homes, including the Red Cross in Brantley, Selden Park Shelter in Brunswick, Venture of Faith Camp in Lake Park, Little Memorial Baptist Church and Church of God of Prophecy in Hortense, and the Brantley County Library and Nahunta Church in Nahunta, Georgia. Caring hands are also providing direct support to first responders, volunteers, and community members, including the Salvation Army in Brantley, the Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief, the Convoy of Hope, the Adventist Community Service Disaster Response, and the National World Kitchen in Waynesville and Nahunta."

The Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday said four of its firefighters, along with equipment, have been deployed to assist with wildfire response in south Georgia.

The Georgia Mutual Aid Group requested the deployment, fire officials said. The firefighters left for south Georgia on Sunday afternoon.

“These deployments are a critical part of our mission to serve not only our community but also our neighbors across Georgia,” Cherokee County Fire Chief Eddie Robinson said in a news release. “We are proud to support our fellow responders and the residents impacted by these devastating fires.”

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