25 acres near Yonah Mountain burn in Sunday wildfire Firefighters battled a wildfire Sunday, March 7, that consumed roughly 25 acres near Yonah Mountain. Provided by Seth Weaver
Roughly 25 acres burned near Yonah Mountain after a wildfire spread through the area on Sunday, March 7, according to authorities.
White County Fire Chief Seth Weaver said a handful of structures in the area of Yonah Mountain Road were in danger, but no property damage or injuries were reported.
“I put our people at the residences to protect the structures while the fire was coming up the hill, up the valley,” Weaver said Monday, March 8.
Weaver’s crews were out for eight hours starting around 3 p.m., Sunday and were assisted by the U.S. Forest Service, the Georgia Forestry Commission, a fire brigade from Lee Arrendale State Prison and the fire departments from Helen and Cleveland.
Firefighters from throughout White County were called to Yonah Mountain Sunday afternoon to protect homes threatened by a wildfire.
“Firefighters arrived to find a fire moving southeasterly up the ridge from Helen Highway, which posed danger to homes along the Yonah Mountain Road,” said White County Public Safety Director David Murphy. “Units staged at various locations along Yonah Mountain to protect structures, using hand tools and handlines in some instances.”
Murphy said the fire was caused by a malfunctioning flue pipe on a home.
U.S. Forest Service and Georgia Forestry Commission units responded, along with firefighters from White County, Cleveland, Helen, and Lee Arrendale State Prison.
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The Georgia State Patrol has charged a Michigan man after his passenger died of injuries days following a White County wreck earlier this month.
Matthew Morgan is charged with first-degree homicide by vehicle, driving under the influence, failure to maintain lane, no proof of insurance, driving while license suspended or revoked, expired tag, and use of license plate to misrepresent identity of vehicle, said Cpl. B.D. Taylor of GSP Post 6 in Gainesville.
Passenger Gregory Przytulski of Waterford, Mich., died Feb. 22, five days after the Feb. 17 wreck on Helen Highway (Ga. 75) near Tom Bell Road north of Cleveland.
Arrest warrants for Morgan were obtained from the White County magistrate judge Feb. 23.
Charges are pending against a Michigan man in a White County wreck that seriously injured him and his passenger Wednesday night.
Matthew Morgan, 30, of Marquette, Mich., was driving a 2009 Dodge Ram 3500 truck north on Ga. 75 (Helen Highway) near Tom Bell Road at the time of the wreck, said Sgt. M. Patterson of Georgia State Patrol Post 6 in Gainesville.
As the road curved to the left, Morgan traveled straight and failed to maintain the vehicle’s lane of travel, Patterson said. The truck traveled several feet on the east shoulder and overturned after traveling through a ditch. The truck came to a final uncontrolled rest down a steep embankment facing west in the upright position.