Augusta: Fire Burning Over 800 Acres In GW National Forest 75% Contained : Updated 1PM : 3.22.16

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Above, a 12 noon Friday release from the US Forest Service regarding the fire and measures being taken to get it under control. Click on image to enlarge.
Photo Courtesy of Carole Painter : Mountain wildfire still spreading across area. Around 6:20 pm Friday evening - March 18, 2016 the fire was right behind Mead-Westvaco warehouse off Lofton Road in Augusta County.
Photo Courtesy of Carole Painter : Mountain wildfire still spreading across area. Around 6:20 pm Friday evening – March 18, 2016 the fire was right behind Mead-Westvaco warehouse off Lofton Road in Augusta County.

Near St Mary’s Wilderness Area / Cellar Mountain
Augusta County, Virginia

We first told you about a mountain wildfire burning in the GW National Forest portion of St. Mary’s Wilderness on Thursday. By Saturday morning the fire had now taken in over 500 acres. Efforts are being made to contain the fire, but as seen in the photo above taken by Carole Painter, smoke was still rising from the area late Friday afternoon.

Snow and rain that moved in over the weekend helped firefighters in controlling the wildfire. The fire that started as roughly 20 acres on Thursday of last week has now taken in over 800 acres.

Above, a 1PM Tuesday release from the US Forest Service regarding the fire and measures being taken to get it under control. Click on image to enlarge.
Above, a 1PM Tuesday release from the US Forest Service regarding the fire and measures being taken to get it under control. Click on image to enlarge.

Photo courtesy of Carole Painter: A plume of smoke and a haze layer can be seen below early Friday morning from the mountain wildfire near St Mary's Wilderness in Augusta and Rockbridge Counties. This photo was taken from Lofton Road near Cold Springs Road in Augusta. March 18, 2016
Photo courtesy of Carole Painter: A plume of smoke and a haze layer can be seen below early Friday morning from the mountain wildfire near St Mary’s Wilderness in Augusta and Rockbridge Counties. This photo was taken from Lofton Road near Cold Springs Road in Augusta. March 18, 2016

WHSV's Isabel Rosales went right into the Cellar Mountain Fire zone to update you on the wildfire. Thoughtful responders made sure she used a hardhat and a protective jacket while reporting.

Posted by WHSV – TV 3 on Friday, March 18, 2016

More pics from the cellar mtn fire this evening

Posted by Raphine Volunteer Fire Company on Thursday, March 17, 2016

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