Rain slows North Georgia wildfires as containment levels increase

About an inch of rain fell in North Georgia on Tuesday, significantly slowing the spread of Georgia’s largest wildfire.

The Rough Ridge fire in Fannin County is expected to be fully contained by Wednesday when more rain is predicted.

The fire, which spans 27,870 acres, was more than 87 percent contained Tuesday in the Cohutta Wildnerness area of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

But rain relief doesn’t mean fire woes are over just yet.

“Larger fuels, like down logs, standing dead trees and stumps or root systems, continue to hold heat and, as the weather dries, can reignite leaves,” the U.S. Forest Service said in an update Tuesday.

Georgia Forestry Commission spokeswoman Wendy Burnett said high winds also act as accelerates to wildfires, “giving them what they need to move faster and burn hotter.”

At the same time, crews continued to work the Rock Mountain blaze in Rabun County, which spanned 24,725 acres Tuesday about 10 miles north of Clayton in northeast Georgia and was 50 percent contained. The fire isn't expected to be fully contained until sometime in December, according to an Incident Management Situation Report on Tuesday.

"The wind did give all of our fires a boost (Monday) and (Monday) night, but (Tuesday's) rain is certainly helping to calm things down," Burnett said.

On the bright side, crews finished efforts Monday to light smaller fires and burn out fuel such as vegetation and leaves before the larger blaze could spread.

“Right now we’ve put all the fire on the ground that we’re going to put on the ground,” U.S. Forest Service spokesman Tom Stokesberry said.

The metro area has avoided the worst of the wildfires and more frequently dealt with smoke and poor air quality.

Drought conditions could keep fires burning

Downpours throughout North Georgia ended a record 43-day dry streak Tuesday in metro Atlanta, according to Channel 2 Action News.

WEATHER: Wettest day since Christmas Eve

Still, drought conditions in North Georgia are so severe that even with some relief from the rain “we could be right back where we are today within a few days or a week,” Burnett said Monday.

Metro areas got more than 2 inches of rain Tuesday.

There is an 80 percent chance of more rain in Rabun County. That chance will increase to nearly 100 percent Wednesday, meteorologists said.

"We’ve been saying that we needed significant rain to put these fires out," Burnett said, "and that’s what we’re hoping this rain will turn out to be — significant."

Authorities took about 56 wildfire calls Monday, and nine were still active Tuesday, Burnett said.

RELATED: Where are the active fires?

MORE PHOTOS: Scenes from North Georgia

Larisa Bogardus, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service’s Rough Ridge team, said rain in the area “helped tremendously,” but crews still worked to remove leaves that might still have smoldering embers and repair roads damaged by the blaze.

Credit: CURTIS COMPTON / AJC

Credit: CURTIS COMPTON / AJC

No evacuations have been ordered in the area, but 142 homes near Bettys Creek and Patterson Gap roads remain on standby.

RELATED: North Georgia crews fighting monotony along with wildfires

Crews fan the flames; bans remain 
Officials worried for the safety of firefighters said they didn't plan to move the fire's perimeters Tuesday.

Nearly 670 workers used five helicopters, four water tankers, three bulldozers and 53 fire engines to help contain the Rock Mountain fire Tuesday, the U.S. Forest Service reported.

“Fire-weakened trees can fall unexpectedly and there are documented cases where these trees, also known as ‘snags,’ have caused serious injury or death,” the U.S. Forest Service said. Trees weakened by insects and fire are more likely to be uprooted when the soil is wet.

Last week, the first fire-related death was reported after weeks of wildfires. The death, Burnett said, was a result of a structural fire, not the wildfires.

RELATED: Forest fires can be friends as well as foes

Following drought-related disaster declarations in 22 Georgia counties, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced loans are available to businesses taking a substantial financial hit due to the drought. Those businesses can apply through June 26, 2017.

Local officials have said the effects of the drought are wide-reaching, and the risk of wildfires is among the most severe. In metro Atlanta, as with counties throughout Georgia, stiff new watering restrictions took effect Nov. 17.

A total fire ban remains in place in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, but 60 percent of the Wildlife Management Area was open to hunters and other visitors Tuesday.

MAP: Georgia’s drought and where water restrictions apply



Three killed in Tennessee fires

Tennessee wildfires led to three deaths as officials ordered evacuations in downtown Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and in other areas near the Smoky Mountains, according to The Associated Press.

RELATED: Dollywood, other Tennessee tourist destinations evacuated due to wildfires

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said about 100 homes in the Gatlinburg area were damaged or destroyed and the wildfire has set 30 other structures ablaze, including a 16-story hotel.

RELATED: The latest: Officials say about 100 homes damaged by fire