View Full Version : fires in SNP
Megapixel
02-20-2011, 10:02
this is near my hometown. idiots burning trash in 60 mph winds.
http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2011/02/high-winds-hinder-efforts-to-control-large-blazes.php
EastCoastFeastCoast
02-20-2011, 10:14
My friend lives just south of there, had his power out all day. He was not a happy camper.
They hd one the other day in jefferson national forest here.. The winds were kicking at about 30 mph yesterday...
Wise Old Owl
02-20-2011, 11:16
Thanks for the heads up Less.
LordoftheWings
02-20-2011, 12:09
Got to love the great American public. Almost all the forest or woodland fires I've been to were started by some genius in high wind or an unattended fire that spread.
Rocket Jones
02-20-2011, 13:45
According to one news report, the one south of Alexandria, Virginia (that closed I-95) supposedly started in a "hobo camp" of homeless people.
restless
02-20-2011, 14:17
Right now, Skyline Drive from Front Royal to Thorton Gap is closed. Also, this from the SNP website;
Fire in North District causes Skyline Drive and Trail Closures
Due to the Shop Run Fire in the North District of Shenandoah the Skyline Drive between Front Royal and Rt. 211 is closed. The following trail closures are in effect until further notice: Mt. Marshall Trail from Skyline Drive to the intersection at the Bluff Trail; Appalachian Trail between Compton Gap and the Browntown Trail; Lands Run Gap Fireroad; and the Jenkins Gap Trail.
i'm monitoring Park radio and will let you know if anything changes.
Check out this photo as well:
http://wildfiretoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Shenandoah-NP-fire.jpg
LoneRidgeRunner
02-20-2011, 15:00
Got to love the great American public. Almost all the forest or woodland fires I've been to were started by some genius in high wind or an unattended fire that spread.
There was one near my home town several years ago that destroyed nearly 5000 acres and several homes and businesses started by a fool burning trash during a fire ban ..He was fined about 500 dollars I think.....Our justice system at work...:rolleyes:
mweinstone
02-20-2011, 15:38
restless thank god your allright. you poped in my mind the minute i saw this. that picture makes you curse out loud if your hiker. can hikers walk the road?
Blissful
02-20-2011, 16:06
Oh shoot I thought SNP would escape it. Man. what a shame. The weather was awful yesterday. We had multiple fires near here.
Blissful
02-20-2011, 16:07
Right now, Skyline Drive from Front Royal to Thorton Gap is closed. Also, this from the SNP website;
Fire in North District causes Skyline Drive and Trail Closures
Due to the Shop Run Fire in the North District of Shenandoah the Skyline Drive between Front Royal and Rt. 211 is closed. The following trail closures are in effect until further notice: Mt. Marshall Trail from Skyline Drive to the intersection at the Bluff Trail; Appalachian Trail between Compton Gap and the Browntown Trail; Lands Run Gap Fireroad; and the Jenkins Gap Trail.
i'm monitoring Park radio and will let you know if anything changes.
Check out this photo as well:
http://wildfiretoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Shenandoah-NP-fire.jpg
Is it on an interagency fire web site? I saw it on the SNP site. Looks like it is burning right by the Skyline Drive in Jenkins Gap. Hopefully it will rain good tomorrow and put it out.
the goat
02-20-2011, 16:21
Right now, Skyline Drive from Front Royal to Thorton Gap is closed. Also, this from the SNP website;
Fire in North District causes Skyline Drive and Trail Closures
Due to the Shop Run Fire in the North District of Shenandoah the Skyline Drive between Front Royal and Rt. 211 is closed. The following trail closures are in effect until further notice: Mt. Marshall Trail from Skyline Drive to the intersection at the Bluff Trail; Appalachian Trail between Compton Gap and the Browntown Trail; Lands Run Gap Fireroad; and the Jenkins Gap Trail.
i'm monitoring Park radio and will let you know if anything changes.
Check out this photo as well:
http://wildfiretoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Shenandoah-NP-fire.jpg
restless, do you know what (if any) portions of mount marshall were burned?
i love that mountain & frequently run the bluff trail......
restless
02-20-2011, 16:35
restless thank god your allright. you poped in my mind the minute i saw this. that picture makes you curse out loud if your hiker. can hikers walk the road?
It would probably not be a good idea. The drive is closed to all vehicular traffic and right now, the efforts to fight the blaze have shifted to Skyline Drive. I suspect that things will be back open within a few days (my opinion only; no official word). Emergency operations and hikers usually do not mix well, so I would just advise all hikers to steer clear of the area. The rest of the Park, from Thornton Gap to Rockfish Gap remains open to the public.
restless
02-20-2011, 16:41
restless, do you know what (if any) portions of mount marshall were burned?
i love that mountain & frequently run the bluff trail......
No I don't. I understand that the fire has not burned as much on the east side of the Drive as officials had earlier thought but it seems that most firefighting efforts seem to be in the vicinity of Jenkins Gap and the Land's Run Fire Road. The Bluff Trail apparently has not been closed as of yet, but it sounds like they will be working on putting out the fire into tomorrow. We are on tap to see some showers over the next 24 hours, so everyone can keep their fingers crossed that we get some much needed rain and that the fire doesn't spread any further. The winds, at least in the valley, have been substantially calmer today than yesterday, but I don't know what is occurring up top. Hopefully, at some point next week, I will be able to get up to the area for trail assessment, and if so, will post pictures.
Pedaling Fool
02-20-2011, 16:57
If human life is so precious, then why are humans so stupid. These two concepts are incompatible.
C Seeker
02-20-2011, 17:00
I just got back from a afternoon hike from 522- Floyde Wayside. There has a small 1 acre forest fire in that area, right at the powerlines. Don't be surprised when the trail turns into a fire line.
Then inside the park around north mountain south mountain is the BIG 1,000 acre fire. Still burning i think so stay away.
restless
02-20-2011, 17:02
Here's another recent report from Warren County (Front Royal):
http://wcrnews.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/battle-to-contain-forest-fire-shifts-to-skyline-drive/
Blissful
02-20-2011, 18:02
If human life is so precious, then why are humans so stupid. These two concepts are incompatible.
It was posted all over a red flag warning too. Stupid. When I saw the weather yesterday, I really feared SNP would burn. And it is. Hope its out soon.
mweinstone
02-21-2011, 00:36
kyw news radio in philadelphia is reporting hourly on the fires. they just said there are too many fires and not enough fire crews and that the fires are out of control. apple orchard mountain must not burn!
mweinstone
02-21-2011, 00:38
the shennis are like our nations crown jewels. more dazzeling than the smokeys. more colorfull than any. they are my favorite place on earth. period.
Hikerhead
02-21-2011, 08:35
This fire has crossed Skyline Drive is now going down the eastern side of the ridgeline.
restless
02-21-2011, 08:40
Here's the latest info I have from http://inciweb.org/incident/2150/ :
The Smith Run Fire has burned approximately 2,000 acres in the north district of Shenandoah National Park. The fire started on private property outside the park boundary and was first reported at approximately 10:00 AM on Saturday, February 19. The fire's cause is currently unknown. The fire is moving on the surface of the forest floor where hardwood leaf litter and down trees have accumulated. The fire is located near Jenkins Gap near Milepost 12 on Skyline Drive.
Due to the fire and to ensure visitor safety, the Skyline Drive between Front Royal and Rt. 211 remains closed to traffic. The following trail closures are in effect until further notice: Mt. Marshall Trail from Skyline Drive to the intersection at the Bluff Trail; Appalachian Trail between Compton Gap and the Browntown Trail; Lands Run Gap Fire Road; and the Jenkins Gap Trail. The rest of the park including the Skyline Drive from Thornton Gap (Rt. 211) south to Rockfish Gap (Rt. 250) remains open.
Beginning Monday morning, February 21, the interagency Southern Area Type 1 "Red" Incident Management Team will take over management of the fire. The Red Team is composed of expert fire managers or "overhead" from a variety of state and federal land management agencies. Along with the Smith Run Fire, the Red Team will also be taking over three fires now burning on the neighboring George Washington and Jefferson National Forest: the Pickle Branch Fire (325 acres) and the Coffman and Chestnut Ridge Fires (approximately 2,700 acres together). All four fires together will be managed as the Valley Complex.
mweinstone
02-21-2011, 09:23
everyone pray for rain.
Pedaling Fool
02-21-2011, 09:54
The fire may have been started out of stupidity, but it would of happened eventually anyway. Perfectly natural and new life will florish from it.
There is no such thing as, "Preventing forest fires". It just can't be done, even if the evil human species is killed off.
the goat
02-21-2011, 10:03
No I don't. I understand that the fire has not burned as much on the east side of the Drive as officials had earlier thought but it seems that most firefighting efforts seem to be in the vicinity of Jenkins Gap and the Land's Run Fire Road. The Bluff Trail apparently has not been closed as of yet, but it sounds like they will be working on putting out the fire into tomorrow. We are on tap to see some showers over the next 24 hours, so everyone can keep their fingers crossed that we get some much needed rain and that the fire doesn't spread any further. The winds, at least in the valley, have been substantially calmer today than yesterday, but I don't know what is occurring up top. Hopefully, at some point next week, I will be able to get up to the area for trail assessment, and if so, will post pictures.
thanks for the info!
earlyriser26
02-21-2011, 10:43
I just got back from a afternoon hike from 522- Floyde Wayside. There has a small 1 acre forest fire in that area, right at the powerlines. Don't be surprised when the trail turns into a fire line.
Then inside the park around north mountain south mountain is the BIG 1,000 acre fire. Still burning i think so stay away.
I hiked from hogback to 522 on Saturday. Picked up a dozen water bottles left at the powerline fire site. On Saturday fire was burning on the west side of the AT South of Jenkins gap. Got a couple of pictures of the fire from Compton peak. When was the trail closed? I hiked through a 3 mile stretch of fog like smoke. I saw no sign that the trail was closed Staturday. Maybe I was just breaking the law!:eek:
Blissful
02-21-2011, 12:03
everyone pray for rain.
Might get a little tonight. Better chance later in the week.
I wanted all the WB's to know dragon's tooth is closed do to a brush fire. Craig County has 250 acre's burned..You can find it online at yahoo. local...Just wanted to give everyone the heads up.
The trail is closed at Dragons tooth according to yahoo.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/277783 Here's today's article that the Trail is closed at this end....
Hikerhead
02-21-2011, 13:07
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/277783 Here's today's article that the Trail is closed at this end....
It's closed from the Trout Creek side of the mtn. It appears to still be open from Rt 311.
Cookerhiker
02-21-2011, 13:10
I have the impression that this winter has been drier i.e. less snow than average in the Blue Ridge Mountains, unlike the North or NC,TN,GA which I believe have gotten their share of snow. Has this been the case?
BTW while I was on a Sheltowee Trace maintenance trip Saturday, the Forest Service was doing a prescribed burn in the Daniel Boone NF only about 10 miles north of where we worked.
Hikerhead
02-21-2011, 13:15
I have the impression that this winter has been drier i.e. less snow than average in the Blue Ridge Mountains, unlike the North or NC,TN,GA which I believe have gotten their share of snow. Has this been the case?
BTW while I was on a Sheltowee Trace maintenance trip Saturday, the Forest Service was doing a prescribed burn in the Daniel Boone NF only about 10 miles north of where we worked.
Your observation of the lesser amount of precipitation that has fallen here than in other locations is in fact, positive.
GoldenBear
02-21-2011, 13:34
Do an Internet search for
"smith run" fire
and specify you want the /News\ Tab.
Here's news from Monday, 9:16 am MST:
http://tinyurl.com/SmFire916
"the Appalachian Trail between Compton Gap and the Browntown Trail ... all were closed as well"
Latest info: 2/21/2011 1300
Smith Run Fire Forces Partial Closure of Skyline Drive and Some Trails
from nps.gov - Shenandoah National Park - News Releases
Firefighters are working to contain Smith Run fire. Due to the fire and to ensure visitor safety, the Skyline Drive between Front Royal and Rt. 211 remains closed to traffic. The following trail closures are in effect until further notice: Mt. Marshall Trail from Skyline Drive to the intersection at the Bluff Trail; Appalachian Trail between Compton Gap and the Browntown Trail; Lands Run Gap Fire Road; and the Jenkins Gap Trail.
It's closed from the Trout Creek side of the mtn. It appears to still be open from Rt 311.
Thanks Hikerhead...just wanted anyone who knew anybody on the trail to get the Wordout!!! Blueblaze if they have to..thanks for letting me know about trout creek and 311
@Cookerhiker- Very little rain last year and absolutely very little snow this past winter....Going to be a dry summer again...
restless
02-21-2011, 20:39
New report on Smith Run Fire ( Shenandoah NP) as of 6:18pm:
http://wcrnews.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/update-skyline-drive-fire-only-15-contained/
Blissful
02-22-2011, 11:19
If you are on Facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Valley-Complex-Fire/185776771461530
Another good site
http://wildfiretoday.com/2011/02/21/fire-in-shenandoah-national-park-burns-1800-acres/
According to the web site, looks like the fire is over. !! Just mop up in progress.
So glad for rain and snow.
GoldenBear
02-22-2011, 14:24
http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2150/
As of 1 pm EST, "Due to weather and fire, all of Skyline Drive is closed in Shenandoah National Park. The following trails will remain closed until further notice: ... Appalachian Trail between Compton Gap and the Browntown Trail"
ShoelessWanderer
02-22-2011, 14:51
Best bet is stay away from the fire, however, I was in SNP on Sunday and you could see the fire pretty well from Skyline. Tons of hiking spots you can hike into to see the fire...without going onto Skyline.
Hikerhead
02-26-2011, 14:00
Heading to Culpeper here in a little bit. Will try to check out the damage along SLD along the way.
Nearly Normal
02-26-2011, 19:22
Controlled burns prevent wildfire, reduce mast tonnage, and enhances wildlife habitat. Ask state and federal agencies about their management burn plans....most don't have one.
Blissful
02-26-2011, 20:08
Unfortunately some of the controlled burns in SNP have become uncontrolled and burned a lot more than intended. (though this fire was started on private land)
Front Royal Mike
02-26-2011, 20:50
As of 7:30 this morning the Northern entrance to SNP is still closed,the sign says the "Drive" is closed from Front Royal to Thornton Gap for "cleanup"I drove down to Thornton Gap and hiked From Panorama to Skyland out and back,the forcasted wind never materialized,it was calm and quite nice
http://www.nps.gov/shen/parknews/closures-lifted-in-shenandoah-national-park.htm
Hopefully this gem isn't worse for the wear!
Hikerhead
02-27-2011, 23:18
Drove by there today. The fire looks to have been one of those good kind of fires, the ground was black but the trees looked like they may have survived. Very little of the trees were burnt, just at the ground. This was just what I observed while driving across SLD. Stopped at Compton Gap and hike north on the AT for a little bit. That part was not burnt, the fire was stopped on the other side of the drive. Just a very small portion of SLD was crossed by the fire. SLD as a firebreak held up very good except for that small section.
Pedaling Fool
02-28-2011, 08:33
Drove by there today. The fire looks to have been one of those good kind of fires, the ground was black but the trees looked like they may have survived. Very little of the trees were burnt, just at the ground. This was just what I observed while driving across SLD. Stopped at Compton Gap and hike north on the AT for a little bit. That part was not burnt, the fire was stopped on the other side of the drive. Just a very small portion of SLD was crossed by the fire. SLD as a firebreak held up very good except for that small section.
That's how all the fires I've seen make the area look like. The trees seem nearly untouched, guess that's an ability they've evolved over eons of wildfires. Here's an interesting website that's update reguraly. It has that fire still active, but does say SNP and all associated trails are open; fire currently burning to the NE of SNP and south of Front Royal, Va. http://www.inciweb.org/
Pedaling Fool
02-28-2011, 08:38
BTW, this is a pic of a rabbit in my gallery in a burnt area near licklog gap. I don't know how much time had passed since the fire came thru, but I could still smell it (but no smoke). The rabbit seemed non-afraid of me and just looked at me as if he was in shock; pic taken 4-20-2007, notice the black charring on the tree and surrounding area, but you can also see new growth popping up.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/9/3/6/RabbitinburntwoodsnearLicklogGap.jpg (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showimage.php?i=17899&original=1&c=member&imageuser=6936)
http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2011/02/skyline-drive-reopens-after-fire.php
Local trails and the scenic Skyline Drive at Shenandoah National Park are open again after a massive wildfire forced closures last week, an official said.
More than 2,000 acres burned after a fire that began on private land Feb. 19 spread into the park and spurred an extensive firefighting effort. Park officials closed trails and Skyline Drive from Front Royal to U.S. 211 (Lee Highway) as a result.
Firefighters will continue monitoring the area this week, according to a statement from park spokesperson Karen Beck-Herzog. Smoke may still be visible from the contained area.
Reopened trails include the Mt. Marshall trail, the Appalachian Trail, the Lands Run Gap fire road, and the Jenkins Gap trail, the statement says.
A Warren County homeowner was charged with carelessly damaging property in connection with the fire after officials found improperly disposed wood-stove ashes outside 253 Parkside View Drive.
The fire was ruled accidental.