The Rocky Mountain fire has grown to consume more than 5,600 acres of the Shenandoah National Park, according to the latest update from the Southern Area Incident Management Team.
The fire is suspected to be human-caused, but remains under investigation. Late yesterday afternoon, the Rocky Mountain Fire had an 80-100 acre slop-over on the east side of Skyline Drive near mile marker 76. Since yesterday, the total fire acres have grown to approximately 5,600.
A firing operation was conducted yesterday to burn vegetation near the Beldor Hollow Community to help contain the fire to that area. Crews are confident that the fire will hold at Beldor Hollow Road. The fire progressed south near Brown Mountain Trail and was active overnight near 2 Mile Run Lane. The Virginia Department of Forestry crews monitored the area overnight. Fire crews are providing structure protection near 2 Mile Run and Lam Hollow communities. The weather remains dry today; however, a cold front is expected to bring a chance of rain on Friday.
The fire is burning in mountain laurel, pine, and oak forests with heavy leaf litter.
Today crews are actively suppressing the slop-over in the area of Skyline Drive. Crews continue to hold the containment line at Beldor Hollow Road and are mopping up in that area. Crews are working to complete a handline to tie into the dozer line for containment along the western park boundary.
Priorities are structure protection and containing the fire within the boundaries of the park, west of Skyline Drive, east of 2 Mile Run community, and west of Beldor Hollow fire road to minimize impacts to private lands.
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