Wildfires drawing first responders to Potomac Highlands areas

Mar. 21—CUMBERLAND — Volunteer firefighters throughout the region battled wildfires Wednesday and again Thursday as high winds and low humidity created hazardous burning conditions in West Virginia's Hampshire, Hardy and Grant counties.

A fire in the Spring Run area near Petersburg grew Thursday to an estimated 500-plus acres and was reportedly 30% contained, while a wildfire in Hardy County surpassed 600 acres. Both drew a joint response of units throughout the region.

Firefighters at Petersburg spent Wednesday night battling the blaze and no structures had been damaged Thursday afternoon, a company spokesman said in an update posted to social media Thursday. "It looks better than what it did yesterday," he said about the fire that was reported about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday and initially covered 20 to 30 acres.

The fire outbreak prompted Gov. Jim Justice to declare a state of emergency Thursday afternoon in four counties — Hardy, Grant, Hampshire and Pendleton — to allow the allocation of the allocation of necessary resources and expedite emergency response efforts.

Forty volunteer firefighters from nine companies in Hampshire and Mineral counties responded Wednesday to a wildfire covering a 20-acre tract in the 1000 block of Mud Run Road in the Purgitsville area, according to Romney fire chief Garrett Parsons.

Hampshire County Sheriff Nathan Sions said deputies of his office and West Virginia State Police evacuated residents Wednesday in the Crossings Subdivision at Pin Oak. There were several structures destroyed in the county.

"There were fires from Purgitsville to Pin Oak and numerous calls for downed trees and one of Eastern Building Supply's lumber sheds blew over into Route 50," said Sions.

"Firefighters, Department of Highway crews, West Virginia foresters and Potomac Edison workers did an outstanding job responding to calls and swiftly handling any situation they we were faced with yesterday," he said.

The fires occurred in the face of a National Weather Service statement warning of enhanced threat of wildfire due to gusty winds and low humidity. The agency issued the special statement Wednesday and again Thursday.

The incidents drew the Allegany County response of Mount Savage, Good Will and Corriganville volunteer companies to Hardy County along with Eastern Garrett, Shaft and Midland fire companies.

Oldtown and District 16 firefighters assisted in the Slanesville area of Hampshire County and Orleans and Flintstone firefighters assisted with wildfires in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, Allegany County Department of Emergency Services Deputy Director Roger Bennett said, adding several structures were affected in the Hardy County incidents.