Much of the South is covered in a thick haze from 31 large fires that are burning out of control. Residents near the Georgia-North Carolina border are being told to not go outside without protective masks. Mark Strassmann reports.
More than 30 large fires remain uncontained and a total of 128,000 acres has burned overall in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia.
At least 200 patients have been hospitalized in Chattanooga, Tennessee, since Friday, November 11, 2016 for shortness of breath and other respiratory difficulties related to the wildfires that have encircled the city.
There has been a drought in the southeast this summer and fall season.
Most of the fires have been labelled human-caused — many are being investigated as arson fires. Police in eastern Kentucky announced they arrested a man described as a “wannabe meteorologist” who deliberately set a wildfire to build a larger Facebook following. Johnny Mullins, 21 of Jenkins, Kentucky, faces a charge of second-degree arson for a wildfire in Letcher County.
According to Jenkins Police Chief James Stephens, Mullins posted selfie videos on his Facebook page. The videos show fires in the background. Mullins called the videos “Weather Outlook” segments, which he posted November 6, 2016.
Another unidentified teen was also arrested on suspicion of arson in Harlan, Kentucky, and a man was charged in Tennessee with starting fires and vandalism that caused more than $250,000 in damage near Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Jenkins Police have arrested Johnny Mullins, a man they say set one forest fire in the city. Mullins is also a person of interest in the other recent forest fires near Jenkins. EKB News Reporter Chris Anderson reports.
Teenager arrested in connection with Harlan County forest fires.
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