Sinking Creek Declared Wildfire 2024

On April 23, 2024, the Eastern Divide Ranger District (EDRD) of the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests (GWJ) initiated a prescribed burn (Rx) on Unit Two of the Sinking Creek RX Project. As ignitions began that morning, fire effects were consistent with the plan’s objectives. Relative humidity on the fire decreased rapidly, however, and by afternoon the fire began to spot outside of its containment lines. While firefighters chased these spots, ignitions continued in order to secure the edge of the unit. Three significant spot fires occurred between 1400 and 1520, the third of which escaped the project area, burned 139 acres of NFS land, crossed the Appalachian Trail, and burned 1/10 acre of private land. At 2150 the entire burned acreage, including the project area, was declared a wildfire.