Drought-induced wildfires occur across Georgia, Florida
Drought-driven wildfires in Georgia and Florida have burned thousands of acres, forcing evacuations, road closures and burning bans.
A fast-moving fire that destroyed homes and forced evacuations in Georgia was likely sparked by a surprising cause, wildfire investigators believe. It’s about a whimsical balloon colliding with a power line.
The Highway 82 Fire in Brantley County started April 20 and had grown to 7,567 acres as of April 25 and was about 10% contained, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission. Another large fire in the state, the Pineland Road Fire, has burned an estimated 31,976 acres since April 18 and is 10% contained near Fargo, Georgia.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said on April 24 that an investigation had determined that a balloon was likely the cause of the Highway 82 fire. Kemp and Forestry Commission Director Johnny Szabo said at a news conference that a metal balloon, like the kind you see at children’s parties, fell onto the power lines, creating a spark that ignited the ground.
While balloons may sound like an unlikely source, there are “infinite” ways people could accidentally start a fire, especially during a record drought in the Southeast, said Joseph Roys, a professor at North Carolina State University’s College of Natural Resources.
“It’s difficult to rule out all the different ways a fire could start. But in this situation, a small spark can start a fire,” Lloyds told USA TODAY.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, humans caused nearly 90% of wildfires on average from 2013 to 2023. Non-human-caused fires are usually caused by lightning strikes. Experts say having an outdoor heat source in dry, windy conditions could lead to disaster.
How balloons cause wildfires
When a Mylar foil balloon comes into contact with a wire, it creates an “arcing,” or electrical flash, said Albert Simeoni, professor and chair of Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s fire protection engineering department. A spark that lands on a dry plant can grow completely out of control in a fraction of a second, he said.
“There’s a flash of light, particles fall, and within a few seconds, maybe a minute or two at most, a fire starts, and the hot particles actually ignite the surrounding vegetation and then get pushed by the wind,” Simeoni said.
Fires have occurred in the past when balloons collided with power lines. In 2017, a Mylar balloon hit a power line in San Diego, California, starting a small wildfire, Fox 5 reported. In June 2025, a balloon floating on a power line started a fire in Philadelphia, damaging a home and injuring two children, according to NBC10.
So many things can accidentally cause a wildfire
Dozens of Georgia counties have burn bans, the first of their kind in the state. But there are many other ways people can unintentionally create sparks that can get out of control during the peak of a fire, Simeoni and Roise said.
- Welding operations produce sparks that can quickly attach to dry vegetation.
- Sparks may fly when you hit farm equipment or a rock while driving through the forest.
- When towing a trailer, Lloyds says it’s common for the tow chain to come loose and drag on the ground.
- Broken bottle glass can cause the sun to expand and ignite plants, Lloyds said.
The list goes on: Hot exhaust fumes from a car hitting dry grass, a train sparking on the tracks, cigarette butts thrown on the ground (even when you think they’ve been stepped on), fireworks, a mountain biker accidentally hitting a rock with his pedal, a golfer hitting a rock with a metal club are all known to cause fires, Simeoni said.
Kemp said the Pineland Road fire likely started when someone was welding a gate and sparks fell to the ground.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, other hazardous activities that can start a fire include poorly extinguished campfires, lighting fireworks or smoke bombs, flying sky lanterns, and children playing with matches.
“We need to be especially careful in situations like this because any heat source can start a fire,” Simeoni said.
Lloyds said residents should remove brush, pine needles and potential fuels such as propane tanks from their homes to prevent damage from wildfires. Mr Simeoni called on people to be mindful of the ban on burning outdoors and to closely follow authorities’ instructions.
“Even if you don’t intend it, it can have serious consequences,” Simeoni said.
