2011-02-19

Crews extinguish 340-acre wildfire

MOUNT JACKSON, VA – Firefighters from numerous agencies worked together to control a wildfire that burned 340 acres. There were no injuries as a result of the blaze.

Rapidly-changing high winds and low humidity caused the fire to spread quickly through terrain of mountainous woods and fields south of Conicville, near Crooked Run Road and Lutz Hollow Road. At times, crews were surrounded by fire.

Firefighters evacuated two households that were threatened. One of the evacuees and her two dogs rode to safety in a four-wheel-drive brush fire truck that had to go off-road, across a field and over a ridge, to get around a downed tree and fires that blocked their exit.

Crews also worked to protect buildings in the fire’s path. Flames came within feet of some, but firefighters’ efforts saved four houses and two large barns. One vacation cabin was destroyed, along with 11 small outbuildings.

The fire was contained by early evening on Saturday after a bulldozer from Virginia Department of Forestry dug a line around it. Crews worked overnight and into Sunday to monitor the scene and extinguish hot spots.

The fire was reported about noon on Saturday, Feb. 19. Final crews left the scene at 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20.

Responding to the call were over 40 emergency personnel, mostly from volunteer fire and rescue agencies. They came from Conicville Volunteer Fire Department, Mount Jackson Rescue and Fire Company, Orkney Springs Fire and Rescue, Edinburg Volunteer Fire Company, Woodstock Fire Department, Toms Brook Volunteer Fire Department, New Market Fire and Rescue, Virginia Department of Forestry, and Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue.

Shenandoah County saw several other brush fires over the weekend, less than a week into the spring fire season. After a dry winter, the area may continue to see more fires, but everyone can help prevent fires by following the Virginia burn ban. The ban prohibits outdoor fires before 4 p.m. from Feb. 15 to April 30.

Anyone wishing to have an outdoor fire should contact the Shenandoah County Emergency Operations Center. The non-emergency line for the dispatch office is (540) 459-6101.

Smoke billows over farms on Lutz Hollow Road.

Chief Gary Yew, of Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue, walks a containment line dug by a bulldozer as fires burn at the edge of the forest to his left.

Crews from different agencies check in with each other while protecting a large barn. In this picture are firefighters from Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue, Virginia Department of Forestry, Mount Jackson Rescue and Fire and Conicville Volunteer Fire Department. The bulldozer is from the forestry department, and the fire engine is Mount Jackson's Pumper 21.

A bulldozer from Virginia Department of Forestry reinforces a ridge-top fire line as backfires burn to starve the wildfire of fuel.

Joe Lehnen, of the Virginia Department of Forestry, walks a fire line, starting backfires to starve the wildfire of fuel.

Woodstock's Brush 12 keeps watch on backfires up against a corn field along Lutz Hollow Road.

Volunteer firefighters worked valiantly to keep flames from reaching this house.

More photos can be found on Facebook.