White County home destroyed by fire

CLEVELAND - White County fire personnel have been busy the past couple of days.

At 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, White County and Lee Arrendale State Prison firefighters responded to a house fire on Timber Wolf Road off Sims Road.

The 3,000-square-foot home was a total loss, White County Public Safety spokeswoman Ana Newberry said.

Newberry said the homeowner was home at the time of the fire, but was able to get out safely. The homeowner declined American Red Cross assistance, but Red Cross personnel were used for firefighter rehab.

"Although not deemed suspicious, the fire is being investigated by the county fire investigator for a cause," Newberry said.

No one was hurt in the fire.

Tuesday afternoon, White County firefighters were kept busy battling two woods and grass fires.

The first was reported at 2 p.m. Tuesday on Runway Circle at Aviation Boulevard inside Mountain Air Park.

The private airstrip is located east of Cleveland off Lothridge Road and is home base for about 30 aircraft, including several ultralight planes.

Newberry said a homeowner was burning something in a 55-gallon drum and his controlled burn got out of control due to the sudden increase in winds. Georgia Forestry Commission was called to cut a break around the fire. Total area affected was nine acres. No structures or aircraft were damaged.

Around 3 p.m. Tuesday, while personnel from numerous fire stations were still working to contain the fire on Runway Circle, White County firefighters were called to a fire on Oglethorpe Lane at Eli Knob Road.

Newberry said a resident reported a fire in the woods. Firefighters protected nearby structures until Georgia Forestry arrived to cut a break around the fire.

Due to high winds, the fire jumped the break and the process started over again until the fire was contained, Newberry said. Six acres were consumed, but no structures were damaged.