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Georgia Forestry Commission warns of higher wildfire risk after Hurricane Helene; urges prescribed burning, firebreaks and equipment upgrades
Summary
Georgia Forestry Commission director Johnny Sabo described increased firefighting challenges after Hurricane Helene, cited response statistics, and urged expansion of prescribed burning, firebreak installation and equipment improvements for future wildland-fire seasons.
Johnny Sabo, director of the Georgia Forestry Commission, told the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee the agency is an emergency-response organization with a large wildland-fire mission and that Hurricane Helene's timber damage has increased fuel loads and changed firefighting tactics in affected areas.
Sabo said the commission has roughly 524 employees, about 400 of whom serve as emergency responders and wildland firefighters. He said last year Georgia recorded "a little over 2,600 wildfires," with an…
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