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Shenandoah National Park is officially announcing a park-wide fire ban. The ban began at 8 a.m. today and will remain in place until further notice. The announcement comes after Virginia continues to deal with an extremely dry year. Plus, crews are currently battling a wildfire on the eastern border of the park.
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The ban blocks campfires of any kind, whether that’s wood, charcoal, coal, or other solid fuel open-air fires. Fires are also not allowed in grates, grills, or rings in any campground, picnic area, shelter, or hut.
The fire near the eastern boundary of the park is currently 2,500 acres. Crews have tried to create a fire line to block the fire but so far have failed. A new fire line is currently in place, and fire crews hope that will contain the fire to 2,800 acres. Around 600 acres of the fire are within the actual national park.
The Quaker Run fire. (Source: Virginia Department of Forestry)
“We need to be able to dedicate our fire-fighting resources to the Quaker Run fire. We hope a complete fire ban will reduce the possibility of any additional fire activity,” says Park Superintendent Pat Kenney in a press release.
There’s no word on what caused the fire, but according to the Virginia Department of Forestry, people cause 75% of the state’s wildfires.
Although there are a few smoke warnings for hikers, Shenandoah National Park remains open.
Park rangers remind all visitors that smoking is also prohibited in the park. The only exception is inside vehicles and in paved or gravel parking areas.
Park officials say the ban will remain in effect until the area receives substantial rain or snowfall.
Early this year, the drought brought creeks so low that the park put a fishing ban in place.
