FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Rain is in the forecast to move into West Virginia by Friday evening and that should help the tinderbox conditions that have aided forest fires in the Mountain State.
The Steep Valley Fire in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in Fayette County was measured at 2,206 acres in information released by the National Park Service on Thursday.
“The fire continues to burn in steep and rugged parts of inaccessible terrain in the War Ridge and Backus Mountain areas, a remote part of the park,” a news release said. “The cause of the fire is under investigation.”
The fire showed minimal activity Thursday.
Nearly three dozen firefighters were battling a blaze in the Monongahela National Forest in Pocahontas County Thursday.
The 947 Fire was estimated at 100 acres. It’s located off Forest Road 947 near the intersection of Brushy Mountain Trail and Beaver Lick Road.
Firefighters from several national forests are helping battle the blaze.
Multiple fire departments spent six hours battling a brush fire off Mount Zion Road in Marion County Wednesday afternoon.
The first crews were dispatched around 3:15 p.m.
Valley Fire Department Public Information Officer Cpt. Zac Eakle said it was an active scene when crews arrived.
“They encountered a large brush fire that was coming up and over the hill, which was driven by the wind,” Eakle said. “It got out of control pretty quickly, but departments got there, everybody worked really well together, and the fire was under control in a couple hours.”
The scene was cleared around 10 p.m. Wednesday. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.