Shenandoah National Park: Bear Den Mountain Fire at 80% Containment
LURAY, Va. — National Park Service firefighters and assisting agencies are working to contain the Bear Den Mountain Fire in Shenandoah National Park, which began late Sunday, Nov. 16. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The fire has burned roughly 22 acres of steep, rocky terrain and continues to smolder in timber and leaf litter. Fire crews have achieved about 80 percent containment, and no park structures are currently threatened.
Skyline Drive is closed from Rockfish Gap (mile 104.6) to Loft Mountain (mile 79.5). The Appalachian Trail is also closed from Rockfish Gap to the Turk Gap parking area (mile 94.1). Park officials expect both closures to lift at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19.
“The rapid response of resources allowed us to develop a plan of action before it was safe to engage,” said Fire Management Officer Derek Casbon. “The combined efforts of the National Park Service and our cooperators are critical to ensure we contain the fire as efficiently as possible.”
Assisting agencies include New River Gorge National Park, the Virginia Department of Forestry, and a contracted hand crew.
A prescribed burn planned for Monday, Nov. 17, in Big Meadows was canceled after conditions deteriorated Sunday morning. A parkwide fire ban implemented at 8 a.m. Sunday and extended through 8 p.m. Monday has since been lifted.
Firefighters also fully contained the separate Spring Fed Fire near Calf Mountain on Friday, Nov. 14.