Date: May 2, 2007
Contact: Barb Stewart, 540-860-1964
Lewis Peak Fire Grows to 200 Acres
The Lewis Peak Fire in Shenandoah National Park has grown to approximately 200 acres. Smoke from the fire is visible in areas south of Elkton.
The lightning caused fire was reported to the park Tuesday afternoon at 1:14 pm. It is burning in hardwood, pine and laurel forest. The fire is moving on the surface of the forest floor where hardwood leaf litter and down trees have accumulated. The fire is located nearby the 2006 fire atop Lewis Mountain near Grottoes, Virginia.
Firefighters are working to contain the fire which is within park boundaries and at this time no structures are threatened.
Because of the fire, the Rocky Top, Austin Mountain and Lewis Peak Trails are closed. In addition due to extremely dry conditions in the Big Run area only day hiking is recommended, camping is not advised.
Resources assigned to the fire include personnel from the National Park Service, US Forest Service Augusta Hotshots, Virginia Department of Forestry, and Grottoes Volunteer Fire Department. Initial attack forces also included Rockingham County Fire and Rescue, the McGaheysville Volunteer Fire Company, and George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.
