Debris From Hurricane Helene Is Helping Fuel Georgia’s Wildfires

Debris From Hurricane Helene Is Helping Fuel Georgia’s Wildfires
A burned vehicle sits near a destroyed home as the Brantley Highway 82 fire burns near Nahunta, Ga., on April 23, 2026. Mike Stewart/AP Photo
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NAHUNTA, Ga.—Some of the destructive wildfires tearing through Georgia this week are being fed by not only a persistent drought, but also by fallen trees and limbs scattered across the South by Hurricane Helene well over a year ago.

Blustery winds also are helping ignite and expand the fires in Georgia and Florida that have blanketed parts of several states in smoke, leading to air quality warnings Thursday in cities far from the blazes.