Wasdin updates Commission on rampant fires

At last Tuesday’s County Commission meeting, Fire Chief Charles Wasdin updated the commissioners on the unusually high number of brush fires emergency personnel have had to battle over the past few months.
As if on cue, a brush fire broke out in the Hogs Hell Bay area the next day, consuming some 44 acres. Thick, dark smoke consumed the area between the Baxley and Alma highways and blowing into the Thompson Hardwoods area where sparks ignited several smaller fires in wood and sawdust piles.
It was the second such fire in the area as, the week before, a fire consumed some 18 acres of land.
“This has been going on for two weeks,” Fire Chief Wasdin said of the area fires. “It’s people burning and the fires are getting out of control. The smoke was awful. I don’t know how they were working at the sawmill.”
Out-of-control brush fires have been causing headaches for local firemen and the Jeff Davis County Forestry Commission workers who have been instrumental in bringing the blazes under control. Dry conditions and high winds have exacerbated the problem.
“We’ve had a record number of brush fires,” Wasdin said, as he also told the commissioners at last Tuesday’s meeting. “We’re getting calls all over the county, sometimes 2-3 calls at the same time.”
So, the heavy rainfall that hit Jeff Davis County Monday gave firefighters a sigh of relief. “I think we’ve got things under control now,” Wasdin said after Monday’s heavy rain.
At the commission meeting, to explain the problems, Wasdin pointed out that there were 39 such calls in January as compared with 14 calls in January, 2025. In February, the numbers were 38 in 2026 as compared to 18 in 2025.
“The last two months have even very busy for us,” Wasdin told the commissioners.
Chief Wasdin also presented a mutual aid agreement he wanted to sign with Appling County to provide mutual fire assistance for structure fires in Graham. The commissioners voted to approve the mutural aid agreement.
In other action at Tuesday’s meeting, the commissioners ….
…. appointed Christine Stanley to a vacancy on the Department of Family and Children Services board.
…. agreed to advertise for a vacancy on the Tax Assessors Board.
…. agreed to deed the old county jail and the kitchen, with the exception of the kitchen equipment, to the Hazlehurst Downtown Development Authority (DDA). DDA member Robyn Williams explained that the City of Hazlehurst had already deeded the old city hall next to the jail to the DDA and plans are to raze the buildings in the area to make way for new development on the site at the intersection of Williams and Latimer streets. He added that the DDA members had discussed possibly using the area for a downtown motel site.
…. heard from Peggy Burton, of DAP Services LLC of Waycross, who made a presentation on roadside trash pickup services. Burton is to meet with County Administrator Jayme Crosby to further explain the proposal.
…. listened as Administrator Crosby recognized the Emergency Medical Service members. Commission Chair Ricky Crosby presented a plaque to the EMS staff.
…. heard an update from EMS Director Andrew Waldron and voted to accept the low bids for a concrete slab and shelter to house the coroner’s van.
…. agreed at the request of Commissioner Vann Wooten to leave the gates to the county’s dump site open on Sundays and Mondays in an effort to prevent people from dumping household trash outside the dump sites when they are closed.