‘Countless’ structures burned in ‘huge wildfire’ in Hardy County

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Firefighters from the Star City Volunteer Fire Department in Monongalia County, the Bruceton Brandon Volunteer Fire Department (BBVFD) in Preston County and Jane Lew Volunteer Fire Department in Lewis County are assisting at a series of brush fires in Grant and Hardy counties.

Details about the fires in Hardy County are limited, but the BBVFD said in a Facebook post that “countless” structures have burned and at least 14 are still on fire as of 10 a.m. Thursday.

Fires are in Dove and Whetzel Hollows and in the area of Strawderman Road, which is near Lost River State Park and around Wardensville. The Corriganville Volunteer Fire Department said that Wednesday night, the Wardensville fire had spread to near the Virginia line and had split into two directions.

Crews from departments across the state were working in the Hardy County area overnight fighting multiple fires.

“Please keep them and all other firemen in your thoughts and prayers,” the BBVFD said.

Lost River Trading Post in Wardensville was open as evacuation shelter on Wednesday.

Another fire in Grant County had burned 500 acres as of Thursday morning.

An update from the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department said that fire crews worked all night to contain the fire in Grant County which is near the Spring Run Trout Hatchery. In an update Wednesday night , Petersburg fire officials said the fire was burning on both sides of Spring Run Road in the Dumpling Run Road area.

At this point, no structures have been damaged and no one has been injured from that fire. The Petersburg VFD said around noon that the fire was 30% contained and progress was being made.

When crews first arrived early Wednesday afternoon, about 20-30 acres had burned, but “it was rapidly spreading,” officials said; it was more than 200 acres by Wednesday night and more than 500 acres by Thursday morning.

On Thursday, officials said that it is not safe to have anyone within the fire ground but that they are putting in preventative measures to keep the fire from spreading to Dumpling Run Road.

Additional personnel, including the West Virginia Forestry, are arriving on Thursday to assist.

These are a few of the many brush fires across the state. Almost all of West Virginia is under a Special Weather Statement for fire risk , and some towns and cities like Clarksburg have put full burn bans in place until Saturday.

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