Estimated Acreage and Containment
Honey Prairie Complex, including Paxton Road: 168,213 Acres, 80% Contained
Racepond: 7,893 Acres, 90% Contained
Paxton Road: 7,906 Acres
Honey Prairie Complex acreage includes Honey Prairie Fire, Paxton Road Fire and six other fires.
Cause and Date Started
Honey Prairie: Lightning, 4/30/2011; Racepond: Under Investigation, 5/25/2011
Resources on the Fires
Honey Prairie: 1 Type 2 Crew, 8 Helicopters, 53 Engines, 2 Bulldozers, 8 Water Tenders, 1 Camp Crew, 225 Overhead, 460 total personnel.
Racepond: 3 Helicopters, 14 Engines, 2 Bulldozers, 1 Water Tenders, 16 Overhead, 75 total personnel.
There are additional resources not reflected in the above count from private industry and State agencies.
Unified Command
The Racepond and Honey Prairie Fires are managed as the Honey Prairie Complex.
The Honey Prairie Complex is being managed by Unified Command under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Georgia Forestry Commission and the Florida Division of Forestry. Incident Commanders are Mark Crow, Troy Floyd and Tony Wilder
Operational Update
Honey Prairie: Fire activity was low on the Honey Prairie Fire, as winds remained fairly calm. Line construction continued in preparation for strategic firing operations as necessary. Fire in the interior continued to burn in areas of peat.
Paxton Road: Activity on the Paxton Road Fire was high, as the fire continued to burn north and south to the interior of the swamp. Line construction continued with bulldozers, as strategic firing operations took place ahead of the flanking edges.
Racepond: Fire activity remained low on the Racepond Fire. Some reburning occurred due to needlecast.
Plans for Today
Honey Prairie: Crews will continue to hold and mop up the fire in all Divisions. Strategic firing operations will also continue as necessary along the swamp edge break.
Paxton Road: Engines and other heavy equipment will be working along the Swamp Edge Break to secure fire line.
Racepond: Crews and equipment will continue holding and mop-up operations.
Fire Weather
Partly cloudy, with patchy smoke early. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the afternoon and early evening. Minimum humidity 34-38%. Winds in the morning variable or SE less than 4 mph. Afternoon winds E-SE 6-8 mph with gusts to 14 mph.
Open Facilities
Stephen C. Foster State Park is open for camping and hiking. Current park information is available at 912-637-5274.
At the refuge’s east entrance, the visitor center and three hiking trails are open. Guided boat, canoe and kayak tours have resumed on limited portions of Suwannee Canal. Contact Okefenokee Adventures at 912-496-7156 for tour information.
Closures and Restrictions
All public canoe camping, day use boating, and motorized boat use from the Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge East Entrance, are suspended. Kingfisher Landing is closed until further notice to all boating activities. Swamp Island Drive, including the Chesser Island Homestead and Swamp Walk Boardwalk, at the Refuge’s east entrance, is closed until the threat of fire is over. Okefenokee Swamp Park, 912-283-0583, on Highway 177 is also closed at this time.
Cooperators
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia Forestry Commission, Florida Division of Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, Greater Okefenokee Association of Landowners, Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Rayonier, Superior Pine, Langdale, GDOT, FLDOT, Georgia Aviation Authority, Brantley Co. FD, Ware County FD
06-11-11
22:15 hrs