Seth Pierce, Georgia Forestry Commission Chief Ranger out of Gilmer and Pickens counties, arrives Tuesday afternoon to help area firefighters battle a 200-acre woods fire in the Pine Log area in White off of Stamp Creek Road.
SKIP BUTLER/The Daily Tribune News
According to the Georgia Forestry Commission, the blaze began in the Pine Log Wildlife Management Area off Stamp Creek Road, and at 7 p.m. Tuesday a cause had yet to be determined.
Troy Floyd, assistant district manager for the Coosa District of the Georgia Forestry Commission, said around noon Tuesday that the commission was handling the fire and they had no other cooperators assisting.
"We have quite a few crews working it -- five dozers, an engine, a fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter," Floyd said.
Bartow County Fire Marshal Bryan Cox said the fire moved swiftly, going from 50 to 60 acres at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday to 100 acres by noon.
"It takes a lot of resources to handle these fires," he said. "... Where this fire is located, it is in a very remote area of the Pine Log [Wildlife] Management Area. It's very rough terrain up in there -- very, very steep hills, a lot of rock bluffs.
"They're running air operations on this -- you don't see that a lot in Georgia. They are actually using a helicopter to put some water on this to try to knock the head of this fire down a little bit. They've got multiple tractors from all across north Georgia already up there plowing on it. They're trying to get as many breaks in as they can."
Dry, hot conditions have fueled several woods fires around the county since late last week.
Cox said the blazes that have been reported along Smiley Ingram Road in Cartersville are currently under investigation as possible arson.