Photo Credit: WRGA Radio

Floyd County Police are investigating a wildfire that ravaged approximately 200 acres in the Rosedale area on Sunday as an act of arson, with charges pending, authorities confirmed. The blaze, which jumped Highway 156 in two locations, posed a significant threat to the Southern Woods subdivision, prompting evacuations. “We were able to get it contained,” said Rome-Floyd County Fire Chief Troy Brock, emphasizing the collaborative effort. “It wasn’t just due to us; it was probably one of the greatest collaborative efforts from many agencies and the Rosedale community that I have witnessed during my career with the Rome-Floyd County Fire Department.”

The scale of the Rosedale fire stretched the resources of the Rome-Floyd County Fire Department thin, leaving only two units to cover the vast 514-square-mile county, according to Deputy Chief Brad Roberson. Thankfully, reserve units were quickly activated, and assistance poured in from multiple agencies, including: Summerville Fire Department, Gore Fire Department, Polk County Fire Department, Gordon County Fire Department, Cedartown Fire Department, Chattoogaville Fire Department, Atrium EMS, AdventHealth EMS, Georgia Department of Public Health, Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, Floyd County Police, Floyd County Emergency Management, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Emergency Management, Floyd Springs Baptist Church, and Armuchee Baptist Church.

“We want to send out a special thank you to the people of our community, especially the Armuchee community,” Roberson said, expressing gratitude for the community’s support. “They were working hard to protect their property, but also stepping up to protect their neighbor’s property, and assist us when they could. They were pulling hose and had our backs the whole way. So, we want to show our appreciation.”

While Sunday’s wildfire is believed to be arson, officials urge residents to exercise extreme caution when burning vegetation and debris, as even controlled burns can quickly become dangerous. “There are days this time of year when you want to burn,” Brock said. “This time of year, burning is needed, but you want to first look at the weather forecast. There are good days to burn and not good days to burn, mainly due to high winds.