About Pickens County progress. (Jasper, Ga.) 1899-current | View Entire Issue (June 23, 2022)
THURSDAY. JUNE 23. 2022 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 3A Small brushfire in west Pickens continues to pop up, but “no need for alarm,” says chief A Georgia Forestry Commission helicopter dumps water onto a slow-moving fire in the remote Sharp Mountain area. This photo was taken from Firetower Road looking west towards the Jerusalem community. By Angela Reinhardt Staff Writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com Tuesday at press time, fire crews were still dealing with a small, remote brushfire that broke out Sunday, June 19. The fire in the Sharp Moun tain area was thought to be contained at times, but popped back up Monday and again Tuesday. By Tuesday morning the Georgia Forestry Commis sion had been called for a second time. Winds picked up mid-afternoon and “pushed the fire some,” but Pickens Fire Chief Tim Prather stressed it was very slow moving and does not pose a threat. The impacted area is between 1-2 acres. “People don’t need to be alarmed,” he said. “The problem is the terrain is steep; it’s hard to get equip ment in there, but the big dogs are here and hope to get it out today.” He added that green veg etation helps keep the fire from spreading more quickly. Crews were originally dispatched to the Henderson Mountain and Jerusalem Church Road area at approx imately 1:30 p.m. June 19. Smoke could be seen, but crews were not able to locate the fire at first as it was “all in the wilderness” and “way off the beaten path.” The blaze was later pinpointed to Firetower Road near Sharp Mountain. Pickens Fire & Rescue crews were not able to access the remote area with their equipment, so Georgia Forestry Commission was re quested. Pickens crews pro vided assistance with their AT Vs by transporting per sonnel and equipment. The fire was originally thought to be contained at ap proximately 8 p.m. Sunday evening, but Monday after noon nearby residents con tacted emergency crews concerned it was out of con trol again. The fire was thought to be contained as of 6:30 that evening, but crews were called out again the fol lowing morning, June 21. It is suspected the fire was the result of an illegal bum. The Summer Open Bum Ban runs from May 1 through September 30 and includes 54 counties in Georgia in cluding Pickens. The Open Burning Ban prohibits citi zens and businesses from burning yard and land-clear ing debris. There have been no in juries and no structures dam aged, and as of Tuesday morning no structures were in danger. photo/Pickens Fire & Rescue A GoFundMe and Amazon list has been set up for David and Becky Key after their house burned to the ground. GoFundMe set up for Key family after house burns By Angela Reinhardt Staff Writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com Family of David and Becky Key have set up fundraisers after a fire de stroyed the couple’s Grand- view-area house on June 12. The house and everything in side were total losses. “David and Becky, with all of their sweat equity, per sonally built their place in 1988 from the ground up...They were finally want ing to slow down and work on long awaited projects be fore the fire happened,” wrote daughter-in-law Melissa Key. “My prayer is that this relief fund will help ease some of the challenges they will face moving for ward and to help support them in rebuilding their lives (currently with purchasing gas, food, clothes, shoes, tools and necessities that they immediately need).” Search “David and Becky Key’s Fire Relief Fund” on GoFundMe, and find their Amazon list under David and Becky Key. PACAjoms the fun downtown Pickens Arts and Cultural Alliance (PACA) joined Jasper’s June Second Satur day event in the new children’s section. Under the leadership of Main Streets’s Mountain City Church, PACA offered kids the opportunity to make animal masks. The cute masks soon became popular with both parents and children using them as fancy fans to cool off on the warm evening. A bouncy house, chalk sidewalk drawing, and face painting were also big hits for kids of all ages. Who’s the face behind that orange monkey in the cowboy hat? Artist Quinn Watkins who also revealed his cute face painting. All photos courtesy of PACA Dad Mike Carignan, proudly stands by his son, Ian who was for sure the cutest frog in town. Wesley Milks, 4, worked carefully for 30 minutes producing a beautiful rain bow of colors around his lion’s mask. Lola Burruss made an excellent lion mask as mother Lindsey Burruss and grand mother Linda Barnes watched. 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