All Virginia Wildfires Except Matt’s Creek Contained, Say Officials

After an unusually active fall fire season that has seen responders struggle to get multiple blazes under control, all of Virginia’s wildfires except for the Matt’s Creek Fire in Bedford County have been contained.

The Quaker Run Fire in Madison County, Virginia. (Virginia Department of Forestry)

As of Monday night, the state had “no active wildfires” besides Matt’s Creek, said Virginia Department of Forestry spokesman Greg Bilyeu in an email.

Virginia’s fall fire season runs from Oct. 15 to Nov. 30, a period when dead leaves provide ample fuel for any spark. This year has proved especially challenging, with the Department of Forestry responding to 113 wildfires that have burned more than 12,000 acres since the season began. By comparison, the agency has said the average annual acreage affected by wildfires in Virginia is 9,500.

Madison County wildfire spreads to nearly 2,500 acres, including part of Shenandoah Natl Park

“We need no further proof that fall fire season has arrived with a vengeance,” said Chief of Fire and Emergency Response John Miller in a Nov. 16 statement. “We will remain vigilant to protect people and property.”

Among the more serious conflagrations was the Quaker Run Fire in Madison County, which broke out Oct. 24 near the community of Syria and burned nearly 4,000 acres, including roughly 700 in Shenandoah National Park, before it was declared contained Nov. 17. In Buchanan County, the Rocklick Fire affected over 2,200 acres, while the Tuggles Gap fire in Patrick County and Rachel’s Chapel fire in Dickenson County both burned more than 1,000 acres each.

The Matt’s Creek fire remains the largest blaze of the season, having spread to over 11,000 acres. Midday Wednesday, Bilyeu said the fire was 57% contained. Located in the Jefferson National Forest, that fire is under federal jurisdiction, with a large-scale response managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Significant rain across the commonwealth Tuesday helped dampen Matt’s Creek as well as other wildfires. The U.S. Forest Service reported an area in the fire’s range received 3.8 inches of rain yesterday.

“Did all this rain put the fire out?” the agency wrote in a Facebook update. “Not completely. But it helped! Firefighters continue to patrol and monitor the fire area and are working to put out the stumps and logs that are still smoldering.”

Bilyeu said Wednesday that “the rain was very important in helping weaken all fire activity and preventing flare-ups and new starts.”

“Virginia has experienced drought conditions, so the rain was extremely welcome,” he said.

In Richmond Wednesday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, too expressed gratitude for Tuesday’s precipitation.

“I also want to stop for a minute and have a moment of appreciation, thanks and a big amen for the rain yesterday. It was a big moment. We needed it,” he said at the beginning of a traditional tribute ceremony involving Virginia’s Mattaponi and Pamunkey tribes. “It also allowed us to fully contain the forest fires and wildfires burning across Virginia. So we’re just going to have a moment of silence for rain.”

Bilyeu said Virginians should continue to take extra care and check with local officials for the latest burn ban information before planning any outdoor fires.

by Sarah Vogelsong, Virginia Mercury

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