Brush Fire Chars Acres of Wooded Land Near Dacula

A brush file charred between 12 and 20 acres of woods near Dacula Friday afternoon, activating crews from both Gwinnett Fire and Georgia Forestry.

According to Gwinnett Fire Lt. Colin Rhoden, the fire started in a heavily wooded area behind 2800 Old Auburn Road before 4 p.m. Friday. It took firefighters until 7:35 p.m. to bring the fire under control.

“The incident will be reported to Gwinnett County Fire Investigators for further investigation,” Rhoden said in an email around 8 p.m. “The incident is under control, undetermined and under investigation.”

----

The original media release from Gwinnett Fire, sent at 6:41 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28:

Gwinnett County firefighters were called out to a woods fire at [2800 Old Auburn Road]. Initial information showed that the fire was approximately a quarter mile behind the address and that the incident is covering an area from six to twenty acres.

Crews arrived to the scene and entered the woods to attempt to contain and control the fire spread in the heavily wooded area. The fire spread under power lines and was threatening adjacent unaffected areas.

Crews fought back the fire and used fire rakes to turn over the burning woods. Georgia Forestry was called out to assist with cutting fire breaks in the dirt to slow the travel of the fire.

An abandoned house and shed had fire around it but were protected by the efforts of firefighters. 

Several crews are on the scene in various locations in the wooded area with a knockdown on the bulk of the fire. Gwinnett County Air helicopter was called to the scene and was used as an aerial spotter for firefighters and crews on the ground.

The railway was alerted, as a precaution, that there may be heavy smoke in the area of the nearby railroad tracks. Crews are currently, working on extinguishing hot spots. The actual number of acres affected is assumed to be 12 to 20.