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Park Service: New River Gorge fire 90 percent contained

FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. — Progress is reported in Fayette County where firefighters from West Virginia and several other states have been working this week to fight the flames of a forest fire in the Endless Wall area of the New River Gorge National River.

So far, the Fern Creek fire has burned through more than 100 acres.

“We’ve actually had a lot of luck the past couple of days,” said Lea Perkowski-Sisk, park ranger for the New River Gorge National River.  As of Thursday morning, she said the blaze was about 90 percent contained.

Based on the weather forecast and expected work on Thursday, she said the goal was to completely contain the blaze by Friday.

“We certainly hope we’re on the verge of getting this out.  There are some hot spots within the interior of the burn.  Those are pockets of fuels that didn’t burn completely or are still smoldering,” Perkowski-Sisk said on Thursday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”

Those hot spots were not expected to break through the established containment lines, though staff members with the National Park Service and the Cumberland Gap Wildland Fire Module were working to monitor the fire lines on Thursday.

Perkowski-Sisk said human actions are to blame for the blaze, though she could not elaborate.

Spring forest fire season in West Virginia continues through May 31.  Outdoor burning is banned during most daylight hours across the Mountain State.





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