Wildfires burning across Georgia and Florida destroy homes and force evacuations

Smoke drifts into Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, as air quality declines and 50 homes destroyed

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Wildfires burning across the south-eastern US intensified on Wednesday across parts of south-east Georgia, where 50 homes were destroyed, and across north-east Florida, forcing evacuations and school closures in some communities.

The Georgia forestry commission issued its first mandatory burn ban in the state’s history, effective across 91 counties in the lower half of the state, due to worsening drought conditions and rising wildfire activity.