With close to 28,000 acres burned, Gilmer Public Safety Director Tony Pritchett has informed FYN that the Rough Ridge Fire should be calming soon.

Authorities have contained 80% – 90% of the Fire, said Pritchett as he went on to inform FYN that the smoke that we’ve felt easing in the County should also be leaving us soon. Major concerns at this point will follow hot spots and flare ups inside the containment area as some of the trees and leaves that survived the fire could reignite with embers.

More importantly the drought conditions of the North Georgia area continue to worsen, though our area has received some rain, Pritchett stated the Burn Ban and Drought Restrictions will remain. FYN asked what he thought the County would need to break the drought, to which Pritchett replied, “a couple to a few weeks of steady slow rain to soak into the soil rather than run off.”

With the winter months setting in, Gilmer could also see relief with snowfall in the coming months to help with the drought as the melt off would slowly bring more water as well.