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A major wildfire that tore through Georgia had scorched nearly 23,000 acres by Tuesday night and was 85% contained, officials said. But for many residents in Brantley County, the destruction is already deeply personal.Among them is a woman known as Lucky, whose home was destroyed in the Highway 82 fire.“Everybody knows me as Lucky,” she said. “I’m lucky to be alive.”Firefighter becomes wildfire victimLucky has worked as a firefighter for 11 years. On the first night of the wildfire, she was on the front lines battling the blaze. But health and breathing problems forced her to leave.By the time the fire was over, the home she had lived in since 2011 was gone.“This is family land,” Lucky said. “My brother got married on it. I want to keep it going.”Now, she is starting over on the same property, living in an RV with her fiancé and three dogs.“It’s small, but it’s perfect,” she said.Lucky said she did not have homeowners’ insurance and has been relying on donations since the fire. The trauma has lingered even after the flames passed.“I’m barely sleeping at night because I still smell the smoke,” she said. “I jump up every hour just to walk outside and see if it ain’t on fire.” Finding hope in the ashesEven in the wreckage, Lucky found reminders of what remains.“There were some old coins that my granny kept for me,” she said. “These are the wheat pennies from, I want to say, 1907.”She said returning to her family’s land, even under painful circumstances, has brought comfort.“I cried nonstop,” Lucky said. “It was a blessing. And I have a home and I’m back home where I belong.”
A major wildfire that tore through Georgia had scorched nearly 23,000 acres by Tuesday night and was 85% contained, officials said. But for many residents in Brantley County, the destruction is already deeply personal.
Among them is a woman known as Lucky, whose home was destroyed in the Highway 82 fire.
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“Everybody knows me as Lucky,” she said. “I’m lucky to be alive.”
Firefighter becomes wildfire victim
Lucky has worked as a firefighter for 11 years. On the first night of the wildfire, she was on the front lines battling the blaze. But health and breathing problems forced her to leave.
By the time the fire was over, the home she had lived in since 2011 was gone.
“This is family land,” Lucky said. “My brother got married on it. I want to keep it going.”
Now, she is starting over on the same property, living in an RV with her fiancé and three dogs.
“It’s small, but it’s perfect,” she said.
Lucky said she did not have homeowners’ insurance and has been relying on donations since the fire. The trauma has lingered even after the flames passed.
“I’m barely sleeping at night because I still smell the smoke,” she said. “I jump up every hour just to walk outside and see if it ain’t on fire.”
Finding hope in the ashes
Even in the wreckage, Lucky found reminders of what remains.
“There were some old coins that my granny kept for me,” she said. “These are the wheat pennies from, I want to say, 1907.”
She said returning to her family’s land, even under painful circumstances, has brought comfort.
“I cried nonstop,” Lucky said. “It was a blessing. And I have a home and I’m back home where I belong.”
