April 17, 2007
Waycross -- Bright, forceful wildfires in Ware County kept firefighters hot and busy for hours. "It's pretty bad right now," said Captain Terry Coward with the Lowndes County Fire Department.
But there's not much that firefighters can do, but stand back and watch at times. "Get it when its coming. Put the water on it," said firefighter Roger Coward.
"It's very scary because it's just everywhere. Its easy to get trapped in this, and if it does, where are we going to go?" said fire fighter David Baker.
Where are the families to go? The ones who's homes are highlighted with a potentially dangerous orange glow. "It's really scary because I'm really afraid to lose my house," said Sierra Rios.
The Rios family was forced out of their home by smoke and flames. They waited as long as they could to see if they wouldn't have to. "I was grabbing pictures, as many pictures as I could," said Rios.
They salvaged what they could and made it to a temporary shelter in Waycross.
Meanwhile, firefighters continue to fight the flames. "It's pretty much a wait and see approach. It's just spread so much and we can't cover all the territory," said Baker.
"It won't be done tonight. No time soon," said Roger Coward. And no telling how much damage will be left behind.
At least 70 people were at the shelter at Waycross Middle School on St. Mary's by three a.m.
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