Hurricane Could Bring Needed Rain

Helicopter drops water on the Lateral West Fire on Great Dismal Swamp National Wildife Refuge

Credit: Allan Barker/USFWS

The Southern Area Type 2 Incident team working on the 6,000-acre Lateral West fire at Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and Dismal Swamp State Park has its eye on Hurricane Irene, expected to pass over the Virginia/North Carolina refuge early Sunday morning, August 28.  The storm could bring beneficial rains to the fire area.

Tim Craig, refuge fire management officer, cautioned, "Eight inches of rain will not put the fire out, but it will buy us time to clear our way through the downed trees back to the fire zone after the storm."

Incident Commander Mike Dueitt noted that work will continue as long as the storm does not threaten firefighters and other personnel.  "We will leave pumps running on the fire as long as we can," he said, "but we will not cut ourselves short on time to get our equipment and folks out safely for the hurricane."