Wind-driven brush fires burn areas around Rappahannock County

Thursday afternoon update:

Rappahannock County Public Schools canceled school today “due to the impact of the wildfires and to allow our maintenance department time to assess damage from the power surges that caused an outage at RCES and may have damaged our water pumps,” RCPS spokesperson Holly Jenkins wrote in an email to parents.

Shenandoah National Park has closed Skyline Drive from Thornton Gap (mile 31.5) to Mathews Arm (mile 22.1) due to the Rocky Branch Wildfire. Trail closures include the Appalachian Trail from Elkwallow to Beahms Gap, Rocky Branch, Neighbor Mountain, Jeremys Run, and Byrds Nest 4.

The Rocky Branch fire started Wednesday afternoon and is estimated to be 450 acres burning timber litter.Fire officials estimate 10% containment as of Wednesday night.

Wednesday evening update:

Stretched volunteers continued to fight brush fires in Rappahannock County into the night, following a day of outbreaks that began around 1 p.m. Particularly impacted this afternoon were Battle Mountain, Red Oak Mountain and off Sperryville Pike near Round Hill Road.

According to the Rappahannock County Fire & Rescue Department at 9 p.m.:

• A fire on Sundale Lane is 80 acres and now fully contained; units are beginning to clear.

• A fire on Red Oak Mountain Road is 30 acres and not fully contained with 5 units and heavy equipment still operating on the scene.

• An earlier fire in Huntly has been extinguished.

• The fire on Lee Highway in Washington has been extinguished but some hot spots remain in the burned area and will smolder overnight.

Around 6:45 p.m., a fire on Sperryville Pike in the Boston area burned 5-6 acres and firefighters were on scene protecting structures.

At one point early in the evening on the county’s emergency radio frequency, a dispatcher said departments from as far as three hours away had offered to help, but more assistance from neighboring counties wasn’t available because of calls in those communities.

RCPS closed Thursday

Rappahannock County Public Schools will be closed Thursday, March 21, “due to the impact of the wildfires and to allow our maintenance department time to assess damage from the power surges that caused an outage at RCES and may have damaged our water pumps,” according to a statement from the school system.

Battle Mountain blazes

Fires in wooded areas along Battle Mountain Road are being contained, and they are spreading smoke across Viewtown and Amissville.

Flint Hill Supervisor Debbie Donehey, who was at the scene volunteering with the Flint Hill Fire and Rescue, said the cause of the fire is not confirmed, but there is a piece of equipment on fire back in the woods.

Fighting the fires is a county-wide effort–deputies could be seen carrying buckets of water from a nearby stream to put out flames, and civilians are helping to scrub out remaining embers.

Smoky skies

Wildfires brought hazy air, from Sperryville to Massies Corner:

4 p.m. update:

The Rappahannock County Sheriff’s Office reports fires in these areas:

• Boston/Sperryville Pike

• Red Oak Mountain

• Battle Run Lane

• Sundale Farm Lane/Battle Mountain Road

• F.T. Valley/Ashby Road

• Zachary Taylor Highway in Huntly

• Lee Highway near Washington

“Please only call the Rappahannock County Sheriff’s Office if you have a true emergency,” the according to a post from the agency. “Communications are operating at capacity. All Fire & Rescue Companies have been dispatched to assist with these fires.”

Fire burns near homes in Huntly

Firefighters from Fauquier County are assisting with a fire in Huntly off of Shootz Hollow Road, and said “everybody is helping everybody right now” to contain the fires. The Huntly fire is burning close to homes, and is presumed to be an electrical fire.

Parts of Appalachian Trail closed in Shenandoah

Due to a fire, the Appalachian Trail from Elkwallow to Beahms Gap, Neighbor Mountain, Jeremys Run, and Byrds Nest 4 is closed, according to Shenandoah National Park.

Earlier coverage:

Crews fighting strong winds to keep fire off Route 211

A fire broke out Wednesday afternoon in a wooded area outside the western-most entrance to Little Washington, dangerously close to the westbound lane of highway 211. The cause has not yet been confirmed, but may have been triggered by an electrical surge earlier in the day, spreading ash and smoke into Washington’s Historic District. At 2:13 p.m., power went out parts of the town.

Firefighters are on the scene with shovels trying to contain the blaze and keep it off the highway. Smoke at times made visibility nearly impossible.

According to a press release from Rappahannock County Public Schools, the Rappahannock County Elementary School and School Board office lost power around 12:45 p.m., and all after school activities were canceled for the day.

Around the county and in the park

Elsewhere in the county, another fire was seen burning off Shootz Hollow Road in Huntly.

There’s also a fire burning in the Rocky Branch area of Shenandoah National Park, according to a park spokesperson.

Tonight’s Planning Commission meeting has been postponed due to the weather situation.

This is a developing story. The Rappahannock News will be providing updates as they become available.