As the northern part of Georgia finally sees some rain, the rest of the state remains dry andwildfires burnacross the south.
Hundreds of fires have started across southern and coastalGeorgia, with dozens ofnew fires every day, and officials say drought conditions provided the kindling. The water conditions have now warranted a more serious response statewide.
"On April 27, 2026, after consideration of the drought severity and the water resource impacts, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) declared a state-wideDrought Response Level 1for public water systems using surface water or groundwater," the agency said in a statement.
What is a Drought Response Level 1?
The designation sets into course a series of public information campaigns across the state aimed at informing Georgians about the drought conditions and what they can do to be good water stewards. This includes online ads, bill inserts, posts on social media and public notices.
"Outdoor water use between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. is still allowable and unaffected by the Drought Response Level 1," the agency said. "Public water systems may not impose restrictions on outdoor watering that are different from state requirements unless they obtain a variance from EPD."
Watering isnot currently limited, but if drought conditions worsen or continue for an extended period of time before the heat of summer, there may be some water restrictions.
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How bad is the drought in Georgia?
According to data from the National Weather Service,98% of Georgiais now under what is considered severe drought or worse.
About one-fifth of the state is in exceptional drought, the highest level of drought designation.
In Atlanta, there would need to be more than 10 inches of rain in a single month to get within five inches of normal water levels, the NWS said. That would be a record rainfall for any month.
In Macon, there would need to be nearly a foot of rain within 30 days to get close to normal levels. Over the course of three months, Macon would need more than 20 inches of rain, or more than 30 inches of rain over six months.
Where are the fires in Georgia?
Tens of thousands of acres of land have burned in southern Georgia, ranging from outside Valdosta to south of Waycross and around Folkston, crossing the Florida-Georgia line. Other fires west of Brunswick have also grown.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Level 1 drought response issued in Georgia. Here are the rules
