Wildfire In Monongahela National Forest Reminder Of State Fire Season, Drought Conditions

High winds Wednesday fanned more than 20 fires across the state, burning more than 115 acres. The largest of those fires is still burning.

A 70-acre wildfire that started on private property in Pendleton County has spread to the Monongahela National Forest. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

According to the USDA Forest Service, the fire is 30% contained with about 70 personnel responding. In a press release, the Forest Service said a helicopter with water-dropping capabilities had been ordered and was scheduled to arrive later Thursday.

The fire is burning in an oak-hickory forest type, with very steep, mountainous terrain making ground access difficult. The Forest Service said firefighters continue to build and reinforce containment lines around the perimeter of the fire supported by engines and hand crews.

Eric Jarrell, assistant state forester for fire for the West Virginia Division of Forestry, said it’s an important reminder that West Virginia’s fall fire season is in full swing. He said any burning should be done after 5 p.m. and with an eye to wind conditions and pending rain.

“Wait to burn your brush pile until it’s safer to do so,” Jarrell said. “There’s very few cases where there’s a brush pile that actually has to be burnt right now.”

Jarrell said taking basic precautions, like monitoring any burns and maintaining a 10-foot cleared safety strip around the fire are crucial.

“Traditionally escaped debris burns is the number one cause of forest fires in the state,” he said “We typically [find the] cause about 35% of our fires is actually escaped debris burns.”

About 50% of West Virginia is experiencing some level of drought, and Pendleton County is one of the counties under severe drought conditions according to the National Integrated Drought Information System.

Jarrell emphasized that despite those drought conditions, the state is still in a better place than last year. 

“Even though some of the state’s in a drought situation, we have had more intermittent rains this year than we had last fall,” he said. “Overall, we’re in a little bit better shape than we was last year. But if the rain would happen to stop, then we’ll probably start getting busy.”

Another fire safety point Jarrell made is to not assume small fires have been reported already and call 911 if you see something.

“There’s a lot of times that there’ll be a fire burning for a day or so before we even find out about it,” he said “Then when we get to questioning some of the locals and stuff, they’ll say that they just assumed that somebody else called it in, and that’s why they didn’t, and then to come to find out nobody called it in.”