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Why the Southeast is burning – extreme drought is only part of the reason

  • Written by Zachary Handlos, Atmospheric Science Educator, Georgia Institute of Technology
imageFire crews responded to dozens of wildfires burning in Georgia and northern Florida on April 23, 2026.Georgia Department of Natural Resources via AP

Large parts of the southeastern U.S. are in the midst of an exceptional drought, and it is fueling dozens of wildfires in Florida and Georgia.

One of those wildfires, in southeastern Georgia’s...

Read more: Why the Southeast is burning – extreme drought is only part of the reason

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