Helicopter Crews Battle Massive Georgia Wildfire As Aerial Water Drops Continue

Video filmed by X user GeorgiaBoy captures ongoing aerial firefighting efforts on the third day of a major wildfire, with the caption stating: “Day 3 – Brantley County, GA, Wildfire. One chopper loads water, another waits. Cycle keeps repeating. (Video from Satilla River west by GeorgiaBoy)”.

The short, shaky handheld clip, recorded from the west bank of the Satilla River, shows a large white and red firefighting helicopter hovering just above the water. A long cable with a bucket hangs below as the aircraft dips it into the river, with rotor wash kicking up mist across the surface.

In the background, a second smaller helicopter is visible in the smoky sky, circling or hovering with its own bucket as it waits to enter the same continuous refill cycle. Thick gray smoke spreads across the pine forest, partially covering the landscape and dimming the daylight.

The footage comes from the Highway 82 Fire, also known as the Brantley County wildfire, which began earlier in the week along the Satilla River corridor.

By April 24, 2026, the third day of the fire, between 4,500 and 7,500 acres had burned. The blaze was only about 15 percent contained, had destroyed dozens of homes, and forced evacuations along with road closures.

Fire crews from the Georgia Forestry Commission, supported by helicopters repeatedly collecting water from the river, continued intense suppression efforts as dry and windy conditions persisted. The Georgia National Guard was also deployed to assist.