Evacuations lifted as Charlton County wildfire reaches 70% containment

Evacuation orders for some of Charlton County were lifted Sunday night as crews continued to fight wildfires across an estimated 550 acre area in Southeast Georgia.

Fires were still burning Sunday night along Highway 301 near Folkston, Georgia. The Georgia Forestry Commission reported that the fires were approximately 70% contained at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Around 75 homes and 150 outbuildings were within or near the fire footprint, which stretched nearly 2 miles from Highway 301 to Highway 252.

The fire is believed to have been started by a downed power line, according to the Charlton County Emergency Management Agency.

Cricket Nettle told News4JAX that a neighbor warned them that the fire was coming because they didn’t have internet access.

“It’s very, very scary. When you don’t have anything around you and all this is dry woods, and you’re worried about your house burning down,” Nettle said. “We didn’t even have internet to tell us it was on fire. Our neighbor ran through the woods and was knocking on my door.”