Chief Ranger Terry Quigley gave the annual forestry report to the Coweta County Commission on Sept. 7. The forestry unit covers 327,074 forested acres in Coweta, Fayette and south Fulton counties.
Reporting at the Sept. 7 commission meeting, Quigley said Coweta from July 2016 through June 2017 had 33 wildfires that burned 116 acres. Nearly half of the fires started after debris being burned in yards spread.
The local forestry unit plowed approximately 162 miles for 29 landowners as fire-breaks for planned burning activities.
Landowners were also assisted in planned burns totaling 4,220 acres in Coweta, with forest rangers conducting or assisting on nine of those burns on 1,765 acres, Quigley said.
Ranked fourth in the state, the forestry unit issued 15,896 burn permits during the period.
Ninety-six home assessments were performed during the 12-month period, said Quigley.
A part of the work of the local unit involves eduction. To that end, rangers conducted 84 educational programs in the three-county area which were attended by 34,000 students and adults.
The local unit also distributed 8,400 brochures, posters and promotional materials to the public.
For more information contact the forestry service at 187 Corinth Road in Newnan or call 770-254-7218.
