Wildfire at Gwinnett Park Is Contained, Officials Say

DACULA, GA — Fire officials believe a wildfire their crews have been battling for more than two days at a Gwinnett County park has been contained.

Firefighters from Gwinnett County and the Georgia Forestry Commission worked through the evening Thursday to tamp down hot spots and strengthen a firebreak around the fire at Harbins Park.

The fire, which started on Tuesday, burned through about 4.5 acres of heavy brush at the park.

On Thursday, fire crews were able for the first time to deploy hose lines into the woods and put water on key points of the burn area. Tricky terrain had made doing so impossible until then.

Also, a Georgia State Patrol helicopter was used to conduct air drops of water on the fire Thursday to help put out smoldering debris. The helicopter was able to refill with water from the lake at nearby Tribble Mill Park.

Fire crews began demobilizing at about 6 p.m. A fire department unit remained on the scene overnight to watch for new hot spots.

"This has been a very labor intensive (two-day) incident due to the size of the fire area and access challenges," Gwinnett County Fire & Emergency Services spokesman Tommy Rutledge said in a news release. "The combined efforts of multiple agencies contributed to the fire being brought under control without further threat to nearby homes and the surrounding community."

The fire crews had been racing to extinguish the fire before heavy winds associated with a cold front expected this weekend arrived.

The incident comes after several weeks of wildfires burning through thousands of acres in north Georgia.

On Thursday, Gov. Nathan Deal issued water restrictions in 52 counties in Georgia due to the ongoing, severe drought that has gripped the state for months.

Photos courtesy Gwinnett County Fire & Emergency Services