The Douglas Fire Department responded to a cotton seed fire at one of the local cotton gins approximately two weeks ago. The fire was located in a large pile of cotton seed that had been piled from last year. The Douglas Fire Department and Coffee County Fire Department extinguished the fire as much as possible without removing the smoldering cotton seeds.
To completely extinguish smoldering cotton seeds, Cotton Gin workers are in the process of removing the cotton seeds one layer at a time. This is a process that may take approximately 2 – 3 more weeks. The Georgia Forestry Commission has plowed a fire break around the area. Until the smoldering has stopped, citizens may be able to smell smoke on cloudy days due to the barometric pressure forcing the smoke closer to the ground.
“There is not an active fire at the Cotton Gin and crews continue to work daily to completely extinguish the smoldering cottonseeds,” says Douglas Fire Department Captain Bryson Lott.
On cloudy days, citizens with respiratory problems are advised to remove themselves from the area, or stay inside and close all doors/windows and turn off heating and a/c units to their home until the smoke smell has cleared the air. If it is too hot or cold, run the heat or a/c unit but make sure it has clean filters and close the air intake. Follow respiratory management plan and call a doctor if respiratory symptoms worsen.
For more information, please call the Douglas Fire Department at 912-384-4815.
