Wildfire — Alleghany, Virginia

2012-04-07 to 2012-04-18 · Alleghany, Virginia

Event narrative

This fire was known as the Barbours Creek Fire, affecting Craig and Alleghany counties. The fire affected the Jefferson National Forest and Barbours Creek Wilderness area. The cause of the fire was believed to have been human. The fire burned for eleven days and burned 7,402 acres, of which 7236 was federal land and 166 was private land. No structures were burned. Suppression costs were $1.668 million and rehabilitation costs were $86,693.

Wider weather episode

Below normal rainfall in the late winter and early spring months combined with an extended period of unseasonably warm, dry conditions across the region in early April set the stage for some of the most significant wildfires in Virginia's history. Back-to-back windy, dry, cold frontal passages following a 14-day period of only five percent of normal rainfall and temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above normal leading up to the Easter weekend, set the stage for a complex of five major wildfires across west central and northern Virginia, three of which occurred within the Blacksburg, VA County Warning Area (CWA). Consequently, the complex of fires were appropriately named the Easter Complex fires. The fires grew significantly on the 10th when sustained winds of 25 mph with gusts of 40 to 48 mph were observed across the region. Consequently, the complex of fires were appropriately named the Easter Complex fires. This fire, known as the Barbour Creek Fire, affected Craig and Alleghany counties. The fire burned over 7,000 acres of land, mostly owned by the United State Forest Service. Costs to contain the fire were nearly $2 million and rehabilitation treatment costs were nearly $90,000. There were no structures lost and no injuries or deaths from this wildfire.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 378722. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.