South Fork wildfire north of Luray

A forest fire is raging north of Luray on 450 acres in both Page and Shenandoah Counties. Over 100 personnel are involved in the wildfire whose origin is unknown. From the National Park Service's Incident Information System:

The South Fork Fire was reported on Monday November 18 2013. This fire is located fourteen miles north of Luray VA. It is north of Habron Gap south of Indian Grave Ridge and west of State Road 717 in both Page and Shenandoah Counties.

There is no containment date.

Areas temporarily closed:
Massanutten National Recreation Trail (#408) from Habron Gap to Indian Grave Ridge and areas west to the Forest Service boundary and Habron Gap Trail and Indian Grave Ridge Trails are closed as is Forest Service Area west of SR 684 and 717 in the fire area.

Habron Gap Trail #559

Indian Grave Ridge Trail # 597

Hunting is not permitted adjacent to the active fire under Virginia State law.
Safety of the public and firefighters is always the number one priority when dealing with wildfires. Trails adjacent and within the fire area are closed. Observe all posted closures.

Conditions involve steep and rocky terrain with light winds and temperatures in the low 40s.

Buena Vista schools closed due to wildfire

A wildfire that started Sunday and spread has caused Buena Vista to close its public schools for Monday classes. It was five percent contained Monday afternoon with no buildings in danger.

Sunday afternoon another wildfire started in the eastern part of Augusta County north of Waynesboro but was contained by evening. At its height it threatened ten homes and caused authorities to close Calf Mountain Road.

Smell smoke? Great Dismal Swamp is on fire

In what has been described as the largest wildfire in its history, the Great Dismal Swamp on the border of Virginia and North Carolina is burning ... and the smoke can be smelled as far away as Richmond and beyond. Started by a lightning strike, the fire that began in Virginia spread into North Carolina and has spread to almost 6,000 acres.

Southeasterly winds are the reason that those a hundred miles away from the fire can smell the smoke. Richmond is under an alert for possible thick smoke at times, hanging in the air and presenting a possible issue for those with breathing problems.

The last time the Dismal Swamp was on fire three years ago, the smell of smoke carried to the Shenandoah Valley and Augusta County where we were able to smell it for days. If the winds continue as they are now, smoke may makes it way over the Blue Ridge Mountains once again.

So if you step outside your door and smell smoke ... it could be coming from the Great Dismal Swamp.

Smoke from NC wildfires now in Shenandoah Valley

Friday found smoke and the smell of burning wood in the air as breezes kicked up and a haze settled over the mountains. The haze hanging over the Alleghenies completely blocked the view as I looked from my house.

The smoke was so heavy I thought it was a fire on the nearby mountain range and even called a law enforcement friend to see if he had heard anything on the scanner about a fire out my way. It is extremely dry in these parts and recent thunderstorms have missed us, leaving tinder dry conditions, so I would not have been surprised to hear of a local fire.

It turned out to be smoke from wildfires that have been burning in North Carolina the past two weeks, smoke that had traveled on the upper-level air flow into this part of Virginia. It had found its way to the Shenandoah National Park and the Shenandoah Valley.

The Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge fire, which has consumed 40,000 acres -- the equivalent of 60 square miles -- was believed to have been started by lightning on June 1 and is only about 40% contained.

Smoke has been seen in Richmond, Danville, Lynchburg, and Roanoke as well as the coastal areas of Portsmouth and Norfolk.

This morning it looks clearer although a haze still hangs over the mountains. We will see if the winds shift and brings more of it our way.

Fire on the mountain ... Shenandoah National Park

Eyewitnesses in Fishersville are seeing a wildfire on the slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, probably up above Grottoes along the Skyline Drive. There's a glow that is visible from miles away ... 9/11 said it was a controlled burn but the extremely brisk winds today would seem to suggest burning, "controlled" or otherwise, would not be wise at this time.

Reports are the fire is near the ridge of the mountain with smoke and haze hanging over the mountain tops. Will keep an eye on local news reports to see if anything comes through.

Virginia: Worst wildfires in 45 years

The first part of 2008 has seen more acreage consumed in wildfires than ever before in the past 45 years, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Almost 1,000 fires have destroyed 26,000 acres of land, the most since 1963.

In the Shenandoah Valley, the St. Mary's Wilderness wildfire in southern Augusta County burned for days, pulling in the Augusta Hot Shots, forestry firefighters, and firefighters from throughout the area to contain and finally put out the fire whose origin is still a mystery because of the remote location where it began.

Throughout the state drought conditions, high winds, and low humidity have played a part in the unwanted 2008 wildfire record. Especially of note was February 10, 2008, when 360 fires were reported throughout the Commonwealth that burned more than 16,000 acres, setting a new state record.

Fire season "ends" today.