Multiple Brush Fires Burn Along I-85 North of Hamilton Mill (Updated)

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Update, 3:35 p.m.

Firefighters extinguished four separate brush fires along I-85 that closed southbound lanes north of the Hamilton Mill exit.

The fires burned in the grass and wood-line along a six-mile stretch of the interstate between Hamilton Mill Road and Highway 211 in northern Gwinnett near the Barrow County line.

There were no injuries or property damage reported.

Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said the Barrow County Fire Department, Georgia State Patrol and Georgia DOT assisted during the incident. Barrow County crews were assisting Gwinnett firefighters near the county line and the state patrol handled traffic control on the interstate.

Firefighters were first dispatched to the scene at 12:25 p.m.

Rutledge said one the fires burned close to the Water Mill subdivision off Braselton Highway, but was contained.

More from Gwinnett Fire

Georgia State Patrol and State DOT HERO units assisted with traffic control and closed the southbound lanes of the interstate as fire trucks and hose lines were deployed to extinguish the fires. A Water Tender unit from Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services was used to shuttle water to fire trucks operating on the interstate as their tanks were depleted. DOT crews also assisted firefighters by cutting down several trees that were scorched by the blaze and in danger of falling.

Crews were still on scene as of 3:35 p.m., hitting hotspots as the southbound lanes were being slowly re-opened.

There was no immediate word on what caused the fires.

(Photos: Gwinnett PIO)