Just because it rained last week and is forecasted to rain this week doesn’t mean the drought is over.
“The drought conditions are probably going to get worse before they get better,” Gilmer County Emergency Management Director Aaron Freeman said.
Starting April 22, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service has a burn notice banning campfires in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.
Georgia is experiencing the worst drought since 2007, according to the National Weather Service. About two thirds of the state is in extreme drought and currently experiencing the worst drought conditions since drought’s onset in fall 2025.
Extreme drought is the second-worst of the U.S. Drought Monitor’s five drought conditions. Gilmer is in this condition.
“It’d take a very substantial amount of rain to change the drought conditions throughout the state,” Freeman said.
Getting out of drought depends on filling the state’s water basins. It’s important for Gilmer residents to conserve water voluntarily.
Under current conditions, fires can spread quickly. It doesn’t matter if you’re burning from a chimney or having an outdoor bonfire. All it takes is a single floating spark in the wrong place for a blaze to start.
“Anything can pose a danger in dry conditions, because it’s the embers and the sparks that are emitted from these fires that ultimately cause problems,” Freeman said.
During this drought, the landscape has become very dry. Fires can start easily.
“People should just wait and listen to find out when it’s done,” he said.
Right now, there isn’t a government ban on burning. But it makes it easier for the GCEM to keep the county safe if people don’t start fires.
“They need to strictly adhere to the regulations that are put forth by the Georgia Forestry Commission,” Freeman said.
For those who need more information, Georgiatrees.org offers rules and guidelines for fires.
It’s likely that summer will bring some relief on the fire risk levels, even if the drought may be far from over.
“We’re coming into the months where the humidity is real high, and fire reacts differently in high humidity,” Freeman said. “It doesn’t burn well.”
Until then, Gilmer residents should think twice before having fires.