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Page A1
SPorter
Dr. Deborah Spencer
Page A1
SPorter
Dr. Deborah Spencer
News
CenterpieceTop Story
Smyth wildfire covered 23 acres
SPorter
Firefighters returned to the staging area of a Smyth County
wildfire Tuesday.
SPorter / Dan Kegley/For the Smyth County News & Messenger
A discarded cigarette caused a fire that burned 23 acres, a vehicle and two structures (not homes).
Chilhowie Fire & EMS Chief David Haynes confirmed the cause of the fire that kept local firefighters on the scene for up to five hours Tuesday. Six Virginia Department of Forestry wildland firefighters were still on the scene on Wednesday.
According to a VDOF spokesperson, the wildfire, dubbed the Middle Fork Fire, was 100% percent contained Wednesday, but the firefighters remained on the scene “conducting mop-up operations where they're going into the control lines and extinguishing hot spots.”
In addition to the VDOF and Chilhowie firefighters, Haynes said that the Adwolfe, Saltville, and Glade Spring fire departments also helped fight the fire.
Tuesday evening, Saltville’s chief, Bryan Lynch, said the wildland firefighters that responded to this fire had just been fighting the Frog Hollow fire in Scott County that burned 320 acres.
The VDOF spokesperson cautioned individuals that “conditions continue to be elevated, with low humidity, warm temperatures and winds,” ideal conditions for rapid wildfire spread.
VDOF reminded everyone that the statewide 4 p.m. burning law – remains in effect through April 30.
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