Trail Closure in McAfee Knob area (central Virginia)

[Lauriep]

EMERGENCY FIRE CLOSURE
(4/29/18) Central Virginia, Roanoke area - From Parking Lot at VA 311 19.8 miles north to US 220
Updates will be posted at: www.appalachiantrail.org/updates

A map of the closure area will follow soon.

Laurie Potteiger
Information Services Manager
Appalachian Trail Conservancy

[BuckeyeBill]

Laurie, The link on the closure page for approved bear canisters 404's. You may want to check it.

[Lauriep]

A map has been posted on the ATC Trail Updates page.

[map man]

This is odd. Whiteblaze member icebeard just posted a trip report for his section hike from Pearisburg to Daleville and he reports that it rained on him steadily on April 23, 24 and 25, the trail was often like a river, and that all water sources were running steady. And then on the 29th a wildfire is able to get established and spread?

[Southerner]

We had a very dry air mass move into the area on the back side of the rain. The dry air and associated wind really fueled the fire. Of course, the fire probably could have been much worse without the significant rain last week.

[Femadog]

Well rain only does so much. We rate fuel loads based on their size (10 hour fuels, 100 hour, 1000 hour, etc.) and how fast they can dry out. I was down in that area last week and there are a lot of 10 hour fuels on the ground and leaf litter which doesn't get rated. It would only take a day for fuels I saw to carry fire. The heavy fuels are pretty wet and won't burn easily so the chance of a non-wind driven fire staying sustained is pretty remote. It all about fuel, weather and topography. When all three line up, fires are going to run.

That being said, the forest I saw walking through the Shenandoah NF was about as unhealthy a forest as I've seen in a while, outside of Northern CA. It needs fire but that isn't the fire management plan for the forest. I think they are still on 100% suppression. We have had the luxury of allowing some fires to burn in the parks out west to improve their health. Based on the current forecast, we'll be burning a lot out there this year (it's already started in CO)

Just my observations.

[Lauriep]

ATC received information this morning from the Acting Chief Ranger of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail that the 19.8-mile section of A.T. around McAfee Knob that was closed due to a wildfire on Catawba Mountain has re-opened.

Hikers are advised to use caution due to fire-weakened trees. Smoke may linger in the area.

[Slo-go'en]

Glad this fire is out, I'll be down there not too long from now.

I just hiked the SNP and the place is a tinder box. Fire danger high all over until the trees leaf out.

Can't wait for some shade!

[map man]

Slo-go'en, we may see each other. I'm hiking from Bland to Daleville from May 6 to May 14. I'm hard to miss -- I'll be wearing a long sleeve orange hiking shirt and orange ball cap. Introduce yourself if you see me -- I enjoy meeting WB members on the trail.

[JPritch]

That being said, the forest I saw walking through the Shenandoah NF was about as unhealthy a forest as I've seen in a while, outside of Northern CA. It needs fire but that isn't the fire management plan for the forest. I think they are still on 100% suppression. We have had the luxury of allowing some fires to burn in the parks out west to improve their health.
Just my observations.

This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. You get that one fire that can't be suppressed and that's all she wrote!