By Pfc. Emerson Sneary, 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

The Georgia Department of Defense (DoD) is assisting the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) and other state and local authorities with wildfire suppression in South Georgia.

On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, following Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s declaration of a state of emergency, up to 150 Georgia National Guardsmen were authorized for state active duty. The Georgia DoD has mobilized to support Georgians as part of a whole-of-government response, with GEMA/HS serving as the lead agency.

“This is probably the closest thing that we come to for a real-world mission that is similar to combat in the sense that we have to coordinate with many other agencies,” said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Sean Brigham, Battalion Aviation Survivability Officer for 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, 78th Aviation Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard. “We have to continually talk to multiple players in the airspace while doing our flying and mission jobs.”

The Georgia National Guard has provided three CH-47 Chinook helicopters and five UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters piloted and manned by soldiers of the 78th Aviation Troop Command. Using helicopter water buckets, the helicopter crews are drawing water from reservoirs in Echols and Brantley County, Georgia and are continuing to conduct water drops over affected areas. The Georgia National Guard has dropped approximately 350,000 gallons of water on fires in the area as of the evening of April 26.

“The communication has been superb with the Forestry Service; both Georgia and the National Forestry Service,” said Brigham.

Clay Chatham, the Air Operations Chief with the Georgia Forestry Commission is coordinating the response effort for the Pineland wildfire with the Georgia National Guard at Waycross-Ware County Airport in Waycross, Georgia.

“We have typically done (biennial) training with (the Georgia National Guard) to keep them informed on firefighting tactics and techniques,” said Chatham. “They’ve been a real force multiplier with this fire.”

The Georgia DoD has a long history of partnering with federal, state and local agencies, both here in Georgia and in other states, to ensure the safety and security of our communities, our state and our nation.

In March 2011, the Georgia National Guard conducted wildfire suppression operations in South Georgia near Savannah and Okefenokee, and have supported the South Carolina with wildfire suppression in 2017 and 2025. Today, the Georgia National Guard still responds in force with wisdom of the past and eagerness to apply new skills and technology to serve their communities.

Several local volunteers have noticed the efforts of the personnel on the ground and in the air and have brought water and food to the airport in support of the ongoing effort.

“We know that there’s lots of resources in place from the different groups that are here,” said Wayne Gilmore, the general manager of a business near the airport. “Y’all are here taking care of us, it’s only right for us to help take care of y’all.”

With 15,000 employees, the Ga. DoD is engaged in Wildfire Suppression Operations, while simultaneously supporting operations in five of the six combatant commands.