Lumpkin forest fires burn 150 acres

DAHLONEGA - The investigation continues into three "suspicious" fires in Lumpkin County in the Chattahoochee National Forest earlier this week.

Norma Rainwater, spokeswoman for the Georgia Forestry Commission district office in Gainesville, said the Cedar Mountain fire burned 90 acres; the one at Cane Creek, 40 acres; and, the one at Dockery Gap, 20 acres. Rainwater said Wednesday morning that the ones at Cane Creek and Dockery Lake were out and that a "break" had been plowed around the Cedar Mountain fire and it had been "contained" and crews were "mopping up, checking for hot spots."

The three fires were in adjacent areas, off Georgia Highway 60 north of Dahlonega.

Rainwater says they began Monday afternoon and that at the height of the attempt to bring them under control and put them out about 50 firefighters were battling the flames. They included U.S. Forest Service, Georgia Forestry Commission, and Lumpkin County Fire Department personnel as well as prisoners from Colwell Correctional Institute in Blairsville.

Another fire in that area five years ago which burned about 1,000 acres was ruled arson. No word yet if the three latest fires were, as well, but Rainwater says they are considered "suspicious in nature."