BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – The Virginia Department of Forestry said a Bedford County brush fire is 80 percent contained, as of Thursday afternoon, and has impacted an estimated 120 acres.
Fire crews said the weather has played a big role in containing this fire, wind, and dry conditions mean they still have to keep an eye on it.
Huddleston Fire Department has been on the scene battling the blaze.
Units still fighting active fire on Old Firetrail Road. Fire is now estimated to be close to 100 acres in size.
Posted by Huddleston Volunteer Fire Department on Wednesday, February 8, 2023
“You can very well get exhausted quicker than you think,” Assistant Chief of Huddleston Fire Dept. Doug Kirby said. “It can be real exhausting, time-consuming.”
Fire officials said something like this isn’t that uncommon this time of year. That’s why in just six days a 4 p.m. burning law will go into effect in Virginia. It prohibits open-air burning between midnight and 4 p.m.
The Department of Forestry said the dangers of fires spreading during this timeframe are due to higher winds, lower relative humidity, and extremely dry fuels on the forest floor. They said one preventative measure to take is always keeping an eye on any flames you start.
“It takes a split second if you’re looking away for a spark to escape that fire, land in flammable fuel, and cause a situation like we have here today,” Regional Forester Brad Carico with the Virginia Department of Forestry said.
They said a downed power line caused the brush fire, so it wasn’t preventable, but there are many situations that are. So they’re asking people to stay vigilant as we enter fire season.
“Every fire we respond to creates risk,” Carico said. “It creates risk to the fire departments, it creates risk to our employees who are responding to the scene, it also creates risk to any homeowners.”
Fire crews said there has been no injuries or damage to property.