BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — A mountain fire at Cacapon State Park that began overnight has been contained as of 10 a.m.
WVMetronews Reporter Chris Lawrence says The West Virginia Department of Commerce tells him the cause of the fire was a downed power line. The fire is contained, but “There will still be smoke from the fire, so the public may still see what looks like a forest fire.”
Crews from the Eastern Panhandle and surrounding areas were dispatched early Tuesday morning to the fire which by some reports was threatening up to four acres.
Berkeley Springs Volunteer Fire Company held command over the firefighting effort, which saw response from crews close by as well as those from Frederick County Virginia and Washington County, Maryland.
At 8:20 a.m., Morgan County E-911 reported crews were continuing to operate and battle high winds, sustained at 20 to 30 miles an hour and gusting up to 55 miles an hour.
By 10:00 a.m., BSVFD reported the fire was contained but some crews remained on scene to extinguish hot spots.
An update at 11:11 a.m. from Morgan County WV E911 said “Operations continue in the Cacapon State Park the fire remains contained (not out as being reported on other sites, there is a large difference in contained and extinguished). Unit continue to work to extinguish hot spots and monitor tree that may be burning above ground leave. Some units have been released but the majority of the crews remain on scene at this time.”
Areas of the park still remain closed to non-fire service traffic including everything beyond the tennis courts toward the nature center/overlook and past the main lodge towards the upper lake.
Visitors were asked to avoid hiking or biking in the area for safety reasons while crews battled the blaze.
There are no reports of injuries although an ambulance was dispatched to the scene on stand by.
