Fuel prices and supply appear steady in Columbus, but demand is rising fast

Hurricane Irma’s approach and the prospect of mass evacuations from the Georgia coast have fueled a spike in demand for fuel in Georgia as thousands pack up and head north and west away from the storm’s expected impact.

“With so many people coming up from Florida, it could be very tight. We’ve already seen some spotty outages in the area,” Angela Holland of the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores told WSB-2.

She said stores were mostly concerned with how to make sure the fuel supply keeps flowing after Irma has come and gone.

“We are starting to see more reports of stations running out of gasoline across Florida, but northern Florida looks good, as does much of Georgia for now,” Patrick DeHaan, senior industry analyst for Gas Buddy, told the AJC. “But it could worsen as Irma gets closer due to more people deciding to leave.”

As yet, Irma has not yet had a major impact on either fuel prices or supply in Columbus. The user-reported data from GeorgiaGasPrices show gas prices stable at between $2.55 and $2.69 a gallon throughout the city, and supplies fairly consistent.

Some citizens have reported individual stations running out of fuel, but the vast majority of stations are still operating normally.

GasBuddy launched a fuel availability map to help people find station with gas, but most stations in Columbus have not been updated with information.

Shortages in Florida and across the Georgia are likely due to “panic buying” more than anything else, experts like James Miller of the Florida Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association say.

“You had people literally in every county assuming it was going to hit them. As a result, you have shortages in areas that desperately need it. It's hard to blame people because the storm is quite scary.”

Governor Nathan Deal issued an executive order banning price gouging at the pump and waiving transportation restrictions for drivers carrying fuel or supplies into Georgia after he declared 30 Georgia counties under a State of Emergency and ordered a mandatory evacuation of parts of the coast.

This story was originally published September 8, 2017 at 8:46 AM with the headline "Fuel prices and supply appear steady in Columbus, but demand is rising fast."