West Mims Wildfire Expands Beyond Okefenokee Refuge, Triggers Evacuations

Officials ordered evacuations in St. George, Georgia, on Saturday, May 6, after a wildfire in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge expanded outside the refuge.The West Mims Fire, which has been burning for a month, has burned through 118,741 acres and was 12 percent contained on Saturday afternoon. More than 500 firefighters were working to contain the wildfire.A temporary shelter was opened at an elementary school in Folkston. Other area residents were warned to be prepared to evacuate, a news report said. It is unclear how many homes were threatened by the fire.This video shows a helicopter picking up water in St. George in the effort to fight the fire.