A massive wildfire is creeping closer to the southeast Georgia town of St. George, prompting evacuations.
The West Mims fire is burning in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. It has already scorched more than 118,000 acres and was 12% contained Saturday evening, according to the InciWeb fire information site.
High winds and low humidity are feeding the flames, the fire forecasting site said.
An evacuation order has been issued for the three-mile perimeter around St. George, which sits on the border with Florida, though it’s not mandatory, Michael Davis, a spokesman for the Southern Area Incident Management Team of the National Interagency Fire Center.
At least 75 homes have evacuated, Davis said.
Smoke and falling ash from the fire could be seen Saturday in the Jacksonville, Florida, area, about 30 miles to the southeast.
The fire was sparked by a lightning strike in the Okefenokee refuge on April 6, InciWeb said.
Some residents in neighboring Nassau County, Florida have been put on notice that they may also have to evacuate, according to CNN affiliate WJXT.