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Firefighters brace for 'dynamic' changes as Georgia wildfires continue to spread
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Fire safety officials warned Georgia residents to be cautious and ready for evacuations as the wildfires gripping the state rage on, with changing weather conditions affecting containment. The two wildfires in Highway 82 Fire in Brantley County, and the Pinelands Road Fire in nearby Clinch County, cover a combined 36,000 acres in the southeastern part of the state, according to data as of Friday morning, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC). Brantley County Manager Jason Cason said in an update Friday morning that the Brantley County fire, which has engulfed 5,000 acres, is 15% contained but "dynamic" due to wind conditions. Georgia wildfires: 2 major blazes grow to more than 34,000 acres "It could move the fire in a different direction than it did late yesterday afternoon," he said. "If you saw anything yesterday, that containment can move anywhere from 15% to 0% with the wind," Cason added. The Clinch County fire was 10% contained as of Friday morning, according to the GFC. The Brantley County Sheriff's office said Friday that "59 fire departments from across the state [are] working specifically on structure protection efforts as well as 20 dozers and 8 type 6 engines." "Air resources include small and large helicopters and large air tankers," the sheriff's office said. A county curfew will be put in place on Friday from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. and will continue "until this event is under control," the sheriff's office said. The Pinelands Road Fire started over the weekend on mostly private forest land, officials said. It grew from about 9,000 acres on Wednesday morning to more than 29,600 acres as of Thursday morning and was spreading toward Echols County, according to officials. The Highway 82 fire started on Monday and destroyed at least 87 homes, Cason said Wednesday. Heavy smoke from the fires was drifting more than 400 miles, to as far north as Atlanta and prompted air quality warnings for several towns. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who declared a state of emergency for 91 counties, is slated to tour the damage later Friday. -ABC News' Bill Hutchinson, Jessica Gorman and Kyle Reiman contributed to this report.