Shenandoah National Park fire closes trails, Skyline Drive
LURAY, Va. — The Rocky Mount Fire in Shenandoah National Park wildfire grew to more than 5,600 acres Wednesday, closing scenic Skyline Drive and multiple trails, including the Appalachian Trail.
The fire, which was reported Saturday, was burning in mountain laurel, pine and oak forests with heavy leaf litter, according to the National Park Service.
The Southern Area Incident Management (Red) Team, a Type 1 emergency-response group, joined command Wednesday with the Shenandoah National Park and the Virginia Department of Forestry, a National Park Service release said.
A Type 1 team deployment indicates that the fire has grown very large and the most complex of multiagency incident response teams is needed to manage a large number of personnel and equipment. Type 5 is least complex on the scale.
Authorities tried to protect structures and keep the fire within the boundaries of the park, west of Skyline Drive, east of 2 Mile Run community and west of Beldor Hollow fire road to reduce damage to private lands.
But Tuesday afternoon the fire jumped Skyline Drive and burned 80 to 100 acres on the east side, so firefighters, with help of water-dropping helicopters, fought that section hard on Wednesday.
Earlier in the week, the park service said the fire was within the park's Fire Ecology Zone, where it is allowed for its natural benefits.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation, but authorities believe it was likely caused by humans.
"We are carefully monitoring and actively managing this fire to make sure it is meeting our resource objectives and will stay in the park," Park Superintendent Jim Northup said in an NPS release. "We will re-evaluate our strategy and tactics every day and make adjustments as needed. I have great confidence in our fire professionals and appreciate all the assistance we are receiving in managing this fire."
Personnel from the National Park Service, Virginia Department of Forestry, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Forestry Commission, Department of Forestry Pueblo County and the Ute Agency were working to contain the wildfire, a release said.
These areas and trails were closed:
• The Appalachian Trail from Powell Gap south to Doyles River Overlook
• Brown Mountain Trail
• Big Run Portal Trail
• Rocky Mountain Trail
• Rockytop Trail
• Big Run Loop Trail
• Austin Mountain Trail
• Lewis Peak Trail
• Patterson Ridge Trail
• Madison Run Spur Trail
• Madison Run Fire Road
• Rocky Mount Trail
• Gap Run Trail
• Onemile Trail
• The Pinefield Hut
• Skyline Drive, from Swift Run Gap south to Loft Mountain
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