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SAVANNAH, Ga. — In light of ongoing wildfires in South Georgia, Attorney General Chris Carr has issued a cautionary alert to residents, urging them to be vigilant against potential price gouging and scams.
Prior to this advisory, Governor Brian Kemp took proactive measures by instituting a burn ban and declaring a State of Emergency across 91 counties affected by the wildfires. This declaration, which went into effect on Wednesday, activates the Price Gouging Statute and is set to remain active until 11:59 p.m. on May 22, 2026.
Under this emergency declaration, businesses within the specified counties are prohibited from charging prices that exceed the pre-emergency rates for goods or services, as clarified by a spokesperson for Carr’s office.
Price increases will only be acceptable if they are justified by “an increase in the cost of new stock or transportation,” along with the retailer’s standard markup percentage used in the 10 days leading up to the emergency declaration, officials have stated.