National Weather Service meteorologist deployed to track conditions for firefighting crews in Brantley Co.

BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Two major wildfires continue to burn across southeast Georgia, with the Highway 82 fire in Brantley County reaching around 22,600 acres and 32% containment.

The Pineland Road fire affecting Clinch and Echols counties has burned about 32,600 acres and is 23% contained. The Georgia Forestry Commission responded to eight new wildfires Tuesday.

Weather creates unpredictable conditions

WTOC has been covering this fire since last Thursday, one thing that has kept this situation unpredictable is the weather.

We spoke with Meteorologist Phil Manuel with the National Weather Service.

What makes him different from our First Alert Meteorologists is that he’s focusing on the weather in a specific area. His job isn’t just to forecast the weather, but prepare the firefighters of what’s to come.

“Firefighters are busy digging line, the job of the incident meteorologist is watching their back, watching as the winds come in and change directions, then getting on the radio, communicating that with them so that they can change their decisions or tactics they may be using,” said Phil Manuel, National Weather Service Incident Meteorologist.

Phil told us that this wildfire is so severe that it’s actually created its own weather.

What makes this part of the state so dangerous is that it’s close enough to the coast to have a sea breeze, which combines with the normal wind path to stoke the fire.

Phil’s role has been vital for keeping crews aware of when they can push forward and when they should just try to hold their ground.

He told us this part of the state is so dangerous when it gets this dry.

That’s one of the ingredients that allowed this wildfire to burn through over 100 homes, a Georgia state record.