Wildfires cause evacuations; FEMA approves grants; Bibb County adds electric buses

Summary

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Georgia Today – April 23, 2026

Wildfires Cause Evacuations; FEMA Approves Grants; Bibb County Adds Electric Buses

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Episode Overview

This episode of Georgia Today covers urgent news across Georgia, focusing on the devastating wildfires in South Georgia, federal emergency support through FEMA, the impact of severe statewide drought, and Bibb County's push for cleaner school transportation. The show threads together environmental crises with proactive local solutions, featuring insights from reporters, officials, and community members.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. South Georgia Wildfires: Firefighting and Evacuation

[00:51–02:01]

• Location and Scope:

  • Massive wildfire began west of Brunswick and rapidly grew to over 5,000 acres in Brantley County.
  • More than 50 homes destroyed; police have closed highways and ordered evacuations.

• Ground Reporting:

  • Chase McGee describes the frontline response, with multiple local and regional fire departments coordinating trucks and helicopters at a regional airport.
  • The fire, intensified by drought, is still not contained.

• Community Impact:

  • Resident Elliot Epolito shares a firsthand account of the evacuation:
    • "It was almost like being at dusk, dark with an orange glow and just howling... roaring in the background. It was different." (Elliot Epolito, 01:38)

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2. FEMA Emergency Grants & Regional Fire Response

[02:01–03:08]

• Federal Support:

  • FEMA approved grants the same day as Georgia's request, covering up to 75% of eligible firefighting costs.
  • Two major fires—the Pineland Road fire (Clinch & Echols Counties) and Highway 82 fire (Brantley County)—have burned over 11,000 acres, threatening over 1,000 homes, 50 businesses, and key infrastructure.

• Mutual Aid:

  • Seth Hawkins from the Georgia Forestry Commission highlights the camaraderie among fire crews:
    • "The fire community is very close knit. They support each other, got each other's back... We've had people from as far as Social Circle volunteer fire was here and so and that's been awesome to see... As far as other things, we need rain, man, we need some rain." (Seth Hawkins, 02:52)

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3. Drought: Environmental and Economic Impact

[03:08–03:46]

• Severity:

  • Latest drought monitor: 100% of Georgia is in "severe, extreme, or exceptional" drought conditions—the worst in a decade.

• Lake Lanier Concerns:

  • Lake is 5 feet below full summer pool. Potential economic impact on summer tourism if conditions worsen.

• Notable Quote:

  • "This is sort of an insidious thing. It just sort of crawls along and there's no bright line demarcations that say when you get to a certain lake level that all business stops." (Clyde Morris, Lake Lanier Association, 03:32)

• Agricultural Impact:

  • 126 counties designated as primary natural disaster areas by the USDA, making farmers eligible for federal assistance.

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4. Political Update: David Scott’s Passing & Election Plans

[04:16–04:55]

• Succession:
  • Governor Brian Kemp must call a special election to fill U.S. Representative David Scott’s seat (13th District) following his passing.
  • The name will remain on May 19 primary ballots due to production timing, with notices posted in polling locations.

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5. Clean Water Act Lawsuit in Griffin

[04:55–05:31]

• Lawsuit Details:
  • Southern Environmental Law Center, representing Flint Riverkeeper, alleges Griffin’s sewer overflows contaminated waterways with bacteria since 2019.
  • Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers is optimistic for a “binding agreement assuring repairs”; the city declined comment.

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6. Bibb County Goes Electric with School Buses

[05:56–06:56]

• Program Details:

  • Bibb County adds 15 electric school buses through an EPA grant under the Biden-era Clean School Bus Program (authorized by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act).
  • Buses built locally at Bluebird's Fort Valley factory.

• Local Perspective:

  • Board member Kristen Hanlon shares early hesitations about cost:
    • "We were worried that there might be some sticker shock. The grant was an amazing resource that allowed us to enter this into investment in a cost effective manner." (Kristen Hanlon, 06:30)
  • Hanlon expects long-term savings on fuel and maintenance.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Elliot Epolito (Evacuee):
  • "It was almost like being at dusk, dark with an orange glow and just howling in the back or roaring in the background. It was different." [01:38]
• Seth Hawkins (GA Forestry Commission):
  • "The fire community is very close knit... As far as other things, we need rain, man, we need some rain." [02:52]
• Clyde Morris (Lake Lanier Association):
  • "This is sort of an insidious thing. It just sort of crawls along..." [03:32]
• Kristen Hanlon (Bibb County Schools):
  • "We were worried that there might be some sticker shock. The grant was an amazing resource..." [06:30]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• South Georgia wildfires and evacuation: [00:51–02:01]
• FEMA grants & mutual aid fire response: [02:01–03:08]
• Drought and its impact: [03:08–03:46]
• Political update on U.S. Rep. David Scott: [04:16–04:55]
• Clean Water Act lawsuit in Griffin: [04:55–05:31]
• Bibb County electric school buses: [05:56–06:56]

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Tone and Perspective

The episode blends the urgency of environmental disaster with the hopefulness of local resilience and innovation. The tone is serious but community-focused, highlighting both challenges and solutions as voiced by Georgia’s own newsmakers and residents.

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Transcript

[GPB Announcer]

GPB belongs to Georgia and you are the center of everything we do. Become a GPB sustainer today or increase your monthly gift to fortify our work enriching Georgians of all ages. Visit gpb.org to donate today and thanks.

[Peter Biello]

Welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom on today's episode. Firefighters continue to battle a devastating wildfire in South Georgia. FEMA approves emergency grants to cover some firefighting costs and the Bibb County School District in Macon adds 15 electric buses to its fleet.

[Kristen Hanlon]

We were worried that there might be some sticker shock. The grant was an amazing resource that allowed us to enter this into investment in a cost effective manner.

[Peter Biello]

Today is Thursday, April 23rd. Hi, I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. Firefighters continue to battle a devastating wildfire that has exploded in size since it started just west of Brunswick on Monday. GPB's Chase McGee is in southeast Georgia's Brantley county with this Update on the 5,000 acre blaze.

[Chase McGee]

Dozens of fire departments staged trucks and helicopters at a small regional airport in Brantley county, west of Brunswick. Police have shut down a county highway and asked residents to leave their homes. More than 50 residences have already burned down. Elliot Epolito says he had to evacuate, but the fire just barely missed his home.

[Elliot Epolito]

It was almost like being at dusk, dark with an orange glow and just howling in the back or roaring in the background. It was different.

[Chase McGee]

First responders are still working to contain the wildfire made worse by a months long drought. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee.

[Peter Biello]

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved emergency grants to help the state cover firefighting costs. Two large fires continue to burn in South Georgia, the agency says the Pineland Road fire in Clinch and Echols Counties and the Highway 82 fire in Brantley county had burned through more than 11,000 acres of land as of Tuesday, threatening more than 1,000 homes, 50 businesses and local infrastructure. Georgia submitted the grant requests Tuesday and FEMA approved them the same day, citing the fire's potential to escalate. Through the grants, the federal government will cover up to 75% of eligible firefighting costs. Firefighters from across the state and region have poured into South Georgia to fight that fire and another, much larger one burning mostly through timberland in Clinch and Echols counties. Seth Hawkins of the Georgia Forestry Commission is in Brantley County.

[Seth Hawkins]

The fire community is very close knit. They support each other, got each other's back a lot across the state. I mean we've had people from as far as Social Circle volunteer fire was here and so and that's been awesome to see just everybody come out. As far as other things, we need rain, man, we need some rain.

[Peter Biello]

The fires are being fueled by Georgia's worst drought in a decade. The latest drought monitor released today now shows 100% of the state in severe, extreme or exceptional drought conditions. The lack of rain is worrying those who live, work and play on Georgia's lakes. Clyde Morris of the Lake Lanier association says the lake northeast of Atlanta is about 5ft below full summer pool and if things get worse, the summer tourist season could be a bust.

[Clyde Morris]

This is sort of an insidious thing. It just sort of crawls along and there's no bright line demarcations that say when you get to a certain lake level that all business stops.

[Peter Biello]

Safety is the primary concern as lower lake levels expose boaters to underwater hazards. The drought is also concerning Georgia farmers. 126 Georgia counties now have been declared primary natural disaster areas because of the ongoing drought. The U.S. department of Agriculture announced the designation yesterday, tapping farmers into federal assistance as the drought continues. U.S. representative David Scott died yesterday. GPB's Sarah Kalis explains what happens next to fill the rest of his term.

[Sarah Kalis]

Governor Brian Kemp will need to call a special election to select someone to fill the remainder of Scott's term, which ends in early January. Camp has to call the special election within the next 10 days, and the election will be scheduled in the following 30 to 60 days. Whoever wins will only fill in for the rest of Scott's term. The May primary election and the November general election will decide who will represent the 13th district starting in January. Scott's name will appear on the May 19 primary ballot because the ballots have already been printed, the secretary of State's office said, but signs will be placed in polls to let voters know he has died. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis.

[Peter Biello]

The Southern Environmental Law center filed a Clean Water act lawsuit yesterday on behalf of the Flint Riverkeeper. The suit was filed against the city of Griffin, alleging the city's sewer system has discharged untreated sewage into waterways that feed the Flint river since 2019. The lawsuit claims the overflows have contaminated waterways with high levels of bacteria, raising concerns about drinking water and public health for communities downstream. The city of Griffin declined to comment on the suit. Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers told GPB his organization has an excellent working relationship with the city of Griffin in hopes for an early binding agreement assuring repairs of their sewer system.

[NPR Up First Narrator]

You know, every day on Up First NPR's Golden Globe nominated morning news podcast. We bring you three essential stories. the heart of the of each story are questions what really happened? What really mattered? What happens next? At NPR we stand for your right to be curious and to follow the facts. Follow up first wherever you get your podcasts and start your day knowing what matters and why.

[Peter Biello]

The Bibb County School District in Macon has officially added 15 electric buses to its school bus fleet. As GPB's Grant Blankenship reports, the buses are part of the Biden Era Clean School Bus program.

[Grant Blankenship]

Bibb Schools was one of only five Georgia school districts to win an early grant from the EPA program authorized by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act, and the district's Bluebird Vision buses were manufactured about 30 miles away at the company's Fort Valley factory. Bibb County School Board member Kristen Hanlon says at the beginning she wasn't completely on board with the EV bus idea due to cost.

[Kristen Hanlon]

We were worried that there might be some sticker shock. The grant was an amazing resource that allowed us to enter this into investment in a cost effective manner.

[Grant Blankenship]

Hanlon expects the buses to prove cheaper than diesel buses over the long term even without grant money because of reduced maintenance and fuel costs. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship in Macon.

[Peter Biello]

That is a wrap on Georgia Today. Thank you so much for tuning in. If you want to learn more about any of these stories, visit gpb.org news and and remember to subscribe to this podcast because we'll be back in your feed tomorrow afternoon. Your feedback is welcome. Send an email to Georgia Today, pb.org I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.