Seven fire departments in Southeast Georgia will share $105,000 in special wildfire-suppression grants after communities in Brantley, Clinch and Echols counties spent months battling major spring wildfires.
Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp visited Brantley County on Tuesday to recognize firefighters and announce the funding. WSB-TV reported the grants are intended to help local departments strengthen wildfire response and recover from costs associated with the fires.
Funding follows a difficult wildfire season
The spring fires burned across large areas of Southeast Georgia and required extensive work from local departments, the Georgia Forestry Commission and other responders. Tuesday’s announcement was made at the Nahunta Fire Department.
Firefighters from Brantley, Clinch and Echols counties joined state and local officials at the event. The funding is expected to support equipment, response capacity and recovery needs tied to wildfire operations.
What the grants mean
The $105,000 is divided among seven departments, meaning the announcement is targeted support rather than a statewide fire-service funding package. Departments will still have their own local budgets and equipment needs beyond these grants.
The next step will be how each department uses its award and whether additional state or federal recovery money becomes available for communities affected by the 2026 fires.
