Fire in Okefenokee wildlife refuge forces evacuations in Georgia

FILE PHOTO: The West Mims fire burns in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, U.S. April 25, 2017. Fish and Wildlife Service/Michael Lusk/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

(Reuters) - A wildfire in Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has forced dozens of nearby residents to leave their homes, authorities said on Sunday, adding the blaze might not be fully contained for months.

About 130,000 acres (52,600 hectares), or almost a third of the refuge, have already burned, said Melanie Banton, a spokeswoman for firefighters and park officials battling the West Mims Fire, which began on April 6.