Firefighters in Coweta County battled a 30-acre brush fire Thursday, according to officials from the Georgia Forestry Commission.
The blaze raged in the same area of Newnan that was devastated by an EF-4 tornado nearly a year ago. A twister plowed through that city March 25 and damaged more than 1,700 homes.
Downed trees and debris from last year’s storm prevented firefighters from using fire dozers to combat the smoke and flames.
Coweta County fire officials said the brush fires were centered near Smokey, Holbrook and Fox Hollow roads in the western part of the county. Officials issued a statement Thursday evening saying those fires were contained and no evacuation was necessary, although heavy smoke and flames were still expected to be prevalent in the area.
The Georgia Forestry Commission remained on the scene through the night to monitor the wildfire, which was reportedly 10 acres earlier in the day. According to Forestry Commission spokesperson Wendy Burnett, the state agency was using a helicopter and two planes to drop water on the blaze.
“We hope to have it fairly contained this evening,” Burnett said in an email late Thursday. “Local fire departments are on the scene with us helping to protect any nearby structures.”
