by Kate Shunney
A brush fire ignited by a downed power line in Cacapon State Park’s upper trail area burned three acres before fire crews from around the region contained the blaze on Tuesday, December 30.
Crews were dispatched shortly after 7 a.m. to respond to the area above the park’s reservoir lake after park employees spotted flames on the wooded slope. Captain Robert Frey of Berkeley Springs Volunteer Fire Company established command at the scene, and called for additional fire units from Frederick County, Va. and Washington County, Md. Capt. Frey later transferred command to County Captain James Steiner.
Fire operations were made more difficult by a lack of easy access to the wooded area, with firefighters approaching on foot and by UTVs from the North Fork and Middle Fork cabin access lanes.
“There was a lot of hand work,” Frey said, “a lot of raking and leaf blowing.”
Firefighters removed the fuel on the ground using hand tools and chain saws. Frey estimated there were around 40 fire personnel at the scene.
Washington County fire units ran 700 to 800 feet of hose to provide water to the brush fire area and UTVs carried water on their units – somewhere between 75 and 100 gallons per unit.
Capt. Frey said firefighters had the blaze contained by 12:40 p.m., when West Virginia Forestry officials assessed the scene and made the final call that units could clear the secene.
There was no danger to structures during the event, Frey said.
Units responding to the wildfire included firefighters from Berkeley Springs, South Morgan, Reynold’s Store, Gore, Wildland units from Frederick County, Va., Hancock, Great Cacapon, plus wildland units from Clear Spring and Boonsboro, Morgan County EMS, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department and Deputy Reserves and West Virginia DNR along with park officials.
