PRINCE, WV (LOOTPRESS) – UPDATE 11/7/24 9:29 PM: According to park officials, higher humidites, total cloud cover, and cooler temps resulted in great progress on the fire.
There is also aggressive line containment by firefighters, with 40% of the fire contained.
The fire is currently at 211 acres as of Thursday night.
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ORIGINAL STORY: A wildfire in New River Gorge National Park & Preserve has spread to 207 acres and is only 15% contained, park officials reported Tuesday at 4 p.m.
The fire is located about 1.5 miles north of Prince and 2 miles from Layland, on Highland Mountain, just above Highway 41.
Northerly winds are pushing the fire southward, though containment lines have been established to help control the spread.
Firefighters are facing challenging conditions due to rugged terrain that is difficult to access in some areas.
Crews from the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Appalachian Conservation Corps, and volunteer fire departments from Danese, Rainelle, and Meadow Bridge have been battling the flames since the initial response.
Additional personnel have now joined the effort, including a Resource Advisor from Cuyahoga Valley National Park and a Task Force Leader from a government cooperative in Colorado.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation as crews work to prevent further spread.
