FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – A forest fire sparked by a downed power line in the Henry area of Franklin County marks the latest in a series of blazes challenging Southwest Virginia, with recent fires also reported in Botetourt County, Craig County and Hillsville.
Emergency crews from Franklin and Henry counties responded to the scene around 11 a.m., where they encountered challenging terrain that complicated firefighting efforts.
“This one’s in steep terrain and it’s very thick and it does make things more difficult because you can’t be running hose lines in there,” said Bassett Fire Chief Junior Lynch.
The Virginia Department of Forestry deployed bulldozers to create firebreaks, carving paths through the forest to prevent the fire’s spread.
Curtis Philpott, whose family has owned land on the mountain for years, expressed concern about the fire’s proximity to his property.
“Well, a fire’s concerning to anybody. You know you got neighbors and your timbers worth value. So anytime a fire starts you want to go right to it,” Philpott said.
He noted that existing timber harvesting paths aided emergency response efforts. “When they cut timber on the property, they’ll have little skidder rows and that opens it up for a fire truck or a bulldozer to get in,” Philpott explained.
While this particular blaze was caused by infrastructure failure, Lynch used the occasion to warn residents about outdoor burning hazards.
“It’s a red flag day. Low humidity and high winds. I would advise everyone do not burn today,” Lynch cautioned.
While contained, officials expect the fire to continue burning for another day or two. Other brush fires throughout the region were also reported but are contained.