Georgia Wildfires Risk Assessment

April 28, 2026  /  TLP:CLEAR

Contents

• Situation Overview
• Impacts on Healthcare
• Risk Assessment Overview

Situation Overview

Over the past week, there have been two major wildfires burning more than 50,000 acres across southern Georgia. The Highway 82 Fire, mainly impacting Brantley County, has burned 22,600 acres and is 32% contained as of April 28. The Pineland Road Fire, mainly impacting Clinch County, has burned 32,541 acres and is 23% contained. On April 22, Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for the Georgia wildfires. The main priorities continue to be public safety and containing the wildfires from spreading.

Impacts on Healthcare

Unhealthy Air Quality

• As of April 28, the air quality index (AQI) in Brantley County is 181 due to the wildfire smoke. This is extremely unhealthy and it is recommended that vulnerable populations with respiratory illnesses should try and stay indoors.
  • While wildfires are directly impacting Brantley and Clinch County, the wildfires’ smoke and poor air quality can still affect people in surrounding areas and counties. Memorial Health in Savannah, Georgia has stated that they have seen a surge of patients in the emergency room due to shortness of breath.
  • Children, elderly populations, and people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the most vulnerable populations to smoke-related illnesses and should be wary of the unhealthy AQI.

Clinch County

• Clinch County is a one of the largest counties in Georgia by land mass however it is still designated as a rural county. They have a population of around 6,800 with 22% of people in poverty. A little over 18% of people in Clinch do not have health insurance.
  • Clinch County has a slightly higher prevalence of chronic conditions than the national average which means there are vulnerable populations residing there. The prevalence of asthma is slightly higher than the national average so wildfire smoke could cause respiratory issues to those populations.
  • There are three pharmacies and one hospital in Clinch so people might have to travel long distances to seek the medical care they need.

Brantley County

• Brantley County has a population of around 19,000 with 15.6% of people in poverty. Roughly 19% of people in Brantley do not have health insurance.
  • Brantley County has a significantly higher prevalence of asthma and COPD than the national average. Wildfire smoke from the Highway 82 Fire could exacerbate these chronic issues and increase hospitalizations in the area. There could be surges in emergency rooms or community health clinics where uninsured patients might need assistance.
  • There are three pharmacies, one health clinic, and no hospitals in Brantley so long travel times to seek medical care are to be expected. People in Brantley might have to travel outside of their county to treat serious medical conditions.

Emergency Prescription Refills

• On April 24, the Georgia Board of Pharmacy stated that pharmacies can provide emergency prescription refills for up to 30 days for people in the impacted counties listed in Governor Kemp’s state of emergency declaration.

Shelters

• The American Red Cross has now opened three shelters in southern Georgia as the wildfires continue to burn. Those locations are:
  • Venture of Faith Camp – Echols County
  • Selden Park – Glynn County
  • Unity Church of God – Wayne County
• It is important that those shelters are well supplied with respiratory medications and devices as people seeking shelter might be impacted by wildfire smoke.

Risk Assessment Overview

• Likelihood reflects the current status and trajectory, not just possibility.
• Urgency reflects when impacts are most likely to be felt, not when the threat began.

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