The Highway 82 Fire became the most destructive fire in Georgia history when it ripped through the Southeast portion of the state earlier this spring. Beginning in April, the fire burned more than 22,000 acres, destroying 110 homes and damaging dozens more while bringing devastation to residents in Brantley County and beyond.

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension didn’t hesitate in its response.

Within 48 hours of the fire’s inception on April 20, UGA Southeast District Extension staff launched community assistance efforts that would last for months.

“In times of crisis, people often gravitate to local Extension offices,” said Cheryl Poppell, Southeast District Extension director. “The response to the Brantley County wildfires exemplifies the very heart of UGA Extension. This is yet another reminder that, in times of crisis, UGA Extension is more than an educational resource; we are a dedicated community partner delivering compassion, service and trusted support when it matters most.”

In just a few days, Extension staff from surrounding counties filled vans and trailers to the brim with donated supplies and delivered them to the Brantley County Extension office, which served as the home base for supplies throughout the fire. They received so many donations that items had to be stored at the county fairgrounds and other Extension offices.

Coffee County Extension, two counties to the west, served as a donation collection site to support those affected, organizing thousands of items for displaced families including food and water, clothing, hygiene and household items.

Crista Graham, a Brantley County 4-H program assistant, took over from there and recruited staff volunteers from nearly a dozen other Extension offices to organize, distribute and deliver supplies throughout the area. Staff from other UGA offices and campuses also helped, including UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.

Day and night, more than 50 daily volunteers from UGA Extension and 4-H, as well as volunteers from Brantley County Family Connection, local churches, civic organizations and the overarching community came together to organize and distribute supplies, support firefighters and assist families.

“Personally, the experience was both challenging and inspiring,” Graham said. “During a crisis, there isn’t much time to process emotions because the focus is on meeting immediate needs and helping people. As someone helping coordinate response efforts, I felt a tremendous responsibility to ensure resources reached those who needed them most. On a human level, I was deeply moved by the kindness and generosity shown by our community. Watching neighbors help neighbors reminded me just how strong Brantley County is when faced with adversity.”

Graham estimates hundreds of hours were invested throughout the response. Even months after the disastrous blaze began, three to eight volunteers returned each day to ensure needs were met.

“If you have never been on the scene in the aftermath of a disaster, it is hard to explain the emotional roller coaster of interacting with both those in need and those working to provide aid — often while everyone involved is exhausted from long hours,” said Rebekah Greene, 4-H agent for Tattnall County. “While I love that we are able to help our neighbors, the true heroes of this effort are the Brantley County staff and volunteers who have put in hundreds of hours establishing and managing the resource center for families in need.”

Organizers created an Amazon wish list that allowed displaced residents to share which items they needed most as time went on.

UGA Extension staff also provided support to the hundreds of firefighters, many of them volunteers, who worked tirelessly to contain the blaze. Supplies such as electrolyte drinks, lip balm and face wipes helped sustain crews as they fought both the Highway 82 Fire and the nearby Pineland Road Fire in Echols and Clinch counties.

While the fire is now fully contained, recovery is still ongoing. Residents and business owners can now apply for federal and state aid as the attempt to return to normalcy truly begins.

“Words honestly won’t do any justice to what happened in Brantley County, both with the fire and the donation hub,” said Zachary Williams, Brantley County Extension director. “Natural disasters are never an experience that anybody wants to see someone else go through, much less live through. People lost a lot, and some lost everything, which is devastating, but maybe the community will be able to see that we do care and are doing everything we can to help make a devastating situation a little better.”