7/6/12

Wildfire scorches Shenandoah National Park | LoudounTimes.com

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WildfirescorchesShenandoahNationalPark
Thursday,Jun.28,2012byLauraPeters,TimesMirrorStaffWriter|3comments|Emailthisstory

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TheNationalParkService iscurrentlylayingwhatis calledalinetocontainthe firethatisspreadingin ShenandoahNationalPark inPageCounty.By lightingafirearoundthe edgeofthewildfire, officialssayitwillputit outbecauseitsburned tomineralsoilcreating nothingforthespreading firetofeedoffof. Courtesy Photo/Shenandoah NationalPark

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ManyresidentsofLoudounCountyawokeThursdaymorningtoastrangesmell,oneofsmoke thathasdriftedupfromawildfireinShenandoahNationalParksportioninPageCounty,just northofRoute211. Thefire,approximately80milesfromLoudoun,hadspreadupto200acresofNeighbor Mountainasof6p.m.Wednesday,accordingtoKarenBeckHerzog,publicaffairsofficerfor thepark. FiresdooccurinShenandoahNationalPark,shesaid.Itappearstobenaturalcauses therewaslighteninginthearea. BeckHerzogsaidtheparkreceivedacallofthefireat6:40a.m.Parkauthoritiesarecurrently buildingacontainmentlinearoundtheacreageaffected. LauraRinehart,publicinformationofficerforLoudounCountyFireandRescuesaidthey receivednumerouscallslastnightintheRoundHillareafromresidentssmellingsmoke.But, sheassuresthatthereisnoimmediatedangerinLoudounCountywiththefirehappeningatthe park. Withthelowhumidityandwindthelastfewdays,thatswhythesmokehastraveledsucha distance,Rinehartsaid. Shealsosaidifthehumidityincreasesthesmokesmellwilldissipate. Withthetemperaturerisingandtherecentlackofrain,residentsshouldbeextracautiouswith anytypeofsmokingmaterials,legalfireworksandgrills,Rineharturgesresidentstoconsider. Firesneedthreethings,BeckHerzogsaid,whichincludefuel,oxygenandheat.Bybuildinga linearoundthefire,shecontinued,thefirecantbefuelediftheareaarounditisdownto mineralsoil.Authoritieshavebeenremovingleavesandlitterandusinghardwoodtrees, mountainlaurelandblueberrybrushtocontainthefire. BeckHerzogsaidthefireisslowmovingandtherearenostructuresthatcouldpotentiallybe
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Wildfire scorches Shenandoah National Park | LoudounTimes.com

damagedinthearea. TheGeorgeWashingtonandJeffersonNationalForest,inShenandoahandWarrencounties,is alsoexperiencinga1,000acrewildfire,whichBeckHerzognotedcouldbeanotherreason Loudounresidentsaresmellingthesmoke.Thefire,calledPoint2fire,islocatedon MassanuttenMountainbetweenShermanGapandVeachGap,approximately50milesfrom LoudounCounty. Withlowhumidity,lackofrainandwind,conditionsarefavorableforoutsidefires,Rinehart said.Thesefirescovergroundquickly,feedingonthedryvegetationandgrasses.Weadvise peopletobeextremelycautious. AccordingtoRinehart,thelasthugebrushfiretheyhadwasreportedFeb.19,2011withmultiple incidentsduetothedangerousfireconditionsinPhilomontandRoundHill. ShesaidthePhilomontincidentoccurredinafieldacrossfrom20852FurrRoad. Whencrewsarrivedtheyfoundafastmoving,winddrivenwoods[or]fieldfirewiththree potentialexposures,Rinehartsaid.Thecrewsworkedquicklytoprotecttheexposuresandto createafirebreak.Theywereabletosavetheresidentialexposures.Thisincidentoccurred duringaredflagwarning. WiththeRoundHillincident,thefirehappenedonBlueRidgeMountainRoad,Rinehart stated,whereapproximately40acresofwoodlandwereonfire. Theyreportedseveralsmallstructureswerealsothreatenedbythespreadingfire.Thisfirewas alsofueledbythehighwindsanddryconditions,shesaid.Crewsbattledtheblazethroughout thenightandremainedonsceneforseveralhourstoensuretherewerenorekindles. Asof1:30p.m.BeckHerzogsaidtheNationalParkServiceiscontainingthefirebylightinga linefire.Bydoingthis,shesaid,thelinefirewillburnthesurroundingareadowntomineralsoil. Oncethewildfirereachesthelineitwonthaveanythingtofeedoffofandwillgoout.Fire personnelfromtheNationalParkService,USDAForestService,U.S.FishandWildlifeService, VirginiaDepartmentofForestryandMississippiForestryCommissionarehavebeendispatched tothearea,BeckHerzogsaid,alongwithadditionalfirefightersandequipmentareenroute. Thisisadevelopingstory.CheckbackatLoudounTimes.comformoreinformationwhenit becomesavailable.
OverlookingShenandoah NationalParkwheremore than200acresare burningduetoawildfire. Courtesy Photo/Shenandoah NationalPark

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Comments
Fri,Jun29at10:10AMbyLauraPeters|Reportthiscomment

@NetsrakThanksforthetip!Illcorrectthemistakeandlookintoit.
Thu,Jun28at05:47PMbyNetsrak|Reportthiscomment

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Wildfire scorches Shenandoah National Park | LoudounTimes.com

ThefireintheGeorgeWashingtonNationalForest,mentionedbrieflyinthis article,isnowherenearRoanoke.Saidfire,whichofficialshavenamedthe Point2Fire,isactuallyburningafewmileswestofFrontRoyal.Sincethisfire isonly45milesWSWofLeesburg,andsinceitslargerthantheNeighbor MountainfireinShenandoahNationalPark(51milesSWofLeesburg),mostof thesmokysmellinLoudounCountyisprobablycomingfromthePoint2Fire.

Thu,Jun28at11:11AMbyLoudounCounty|Reportthiscomment

Iwaswonderingwhowasgrillingat7:00am.NowIknow:MotherNature.

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