Fire Season Comes Early at New River Gorge Park

A fire that started on Beury Mountain in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve last Thursday is now 68 percent contained, according to David Bieri, North District supervisor.

As an “exceptional” drought continues across the state, fire season is coming earlier than its usual October start.

“We’re at pretty extreme fire danger with all the drought we’ve had,” Bieri said. “This is about the driest things have been here since I’ve been here.”

He said the Beury fire is relatively small – 13 acres – but in a remote area in one of the park’s swathes of steep terrain, which makes accessing it and fighting fires difficult.

About 20 park personnel have been fighting the Beury blaze. The Bureau of Land Management is sending what’s known as a “severity detail” of firefighters from New Mexico to the park in case the fire expands – and in anticipation of a high-risk fire season.

“It’s rare to see BLM firefighters out here, but we’re in that kind of fire danger right now,” Bieri said.

Bieri said while most of the fire is technically contained behind a fire line, it is difficult to predict its development, especially as weather forecasts show continued low moisture on the horizon.

The park, busy as fall foliage emerges, is asking visitors not to have campfires.