The Matts Creek Fire continues to eat up national forest land in Virginia and has spread to 2,750 acres.
The wildfire started Sunday in Bedford County and continues to rage through the Jefferson National Forest. Officials are still uncertain about its causes, the U.S. Forest Service said in a daily report about the fire.
It comes only days after the Quaker Run Fire began burning in the Shenandoah National Forest, a little over 100 miles away in Madison County. Earlier this month, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency because of multiple fires spreading throughout the region.
The 2,750-acre Matts Creek fire is entirely on national forest land. So far, it has not threatened any homes or businesses. As of Thursday afternoon, the fire was 2 percent contained, according to the most recent update from the U.S. Forest Service.
Virginia Department of Forestry
A map shared by the U.S. Fire Service shows the fire burning over a large section of the Appalachian Trail.
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Forest Service by email for comment.
“The James River Face Wilderness and all associated trails, including a section of Appalachian National Scenic Trail, are closed to all public use due to the ongoing wildland fire,” the update said.
U.S. Forest Service
Terrifying videos and photos of the fire have spread across social media since the blaze started on Sunday.
A time-lapse video shared by nature photographer Peter Forister showed the substantial flames eating up forest lands. Another video, shared on social media by meteorologist Will Stafford, showed the fire burning against the night sky.
night has fallen on the Matts Creek fire for the third night in a row. The fire now covers 2500 acres and is still 0% contained. As of November 15, still no homes and business are threatened.
@ABC13News @natwxdesk pic.twitter.com/bS6SQgMcZA
— 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 *️⃣ (@wx_will) November 16, 2023
The fire has caused clouds of smoke to blanket Central Virginia, resulting in several school cancellations because of the impact on air quality.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issued a Code Red air-quality alert for Amherst, Nelson and Bedford counties as firefighters continue to fight the flames, according to TV station WSET.
On Sunday, the fire began at 15 acres in size and has increased exponentially to consume nearly 3,000 acres of national forest land.
A cause has yet to be identified for both the Matts Creek fire and the nearby Quaker Run fire. The Virginia Department of Forestry said the Quaker Run fire was spreading because of dry conditions and high winds.
Dry conditions are known to exacerbate the impact of wildfires by providing ample fuel for the flames. As of Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor Map shows that only 3 percent of Virginia was free from drought, with 96 percent of the state experiencing abnormally dry conditions. Two-thirds of the state was struggling with moderate drought; 24 percent was battling severe drought, including all of Bedford County; and 5 percent had extreme drought.
Fall fire season is underway in Virginia. The season started October 15 and will continue through November 30, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.