Ga. Gov. Releases $7 Million to Fight Southeast Georgia Wildfires

Gov. Sonny Perdue issued an executive order that allocates $7 million in unspent state funds to fight the wildfires in southeast Georgia. The fires have burned over 130,000 acres in Georgia.

“These additional funds will allow the communities to continue fighting the fires and assist in their recovery,” Perdue said, referring to the May 18 executive order. “Because we budgeted conservatively we are now able to release these funds to assist the emergency facing those in southeast Georgia.”

State law allows that when there are insufficient funds in the State Forestry Commission, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and other agencies that assist in emergencies, the Governor has the authority to transfer any unspent funds from the state treasury and reallocate it to the Governor’s Emergency Fund to assist in the emergency response.

Source: Office of the Governor of Georgia