Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared a state of emergency to assist firefighter response efforts on two wildfires around the state due to dry conditions and high winds.
Two fires—the Quaker Run Fire in Madison County and the Tuggles Gap fire in Patrick County—broke containment lines over the weekend.
A state of emergency allows the Commonwealth to mobilize additional resources and deploy staff and equipment to assist in response and recovery efforts. The Virginia National Guard, Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, and other pertinent agencies are involved in the ongoing operation.
Virginia’s fall fire season runs through Nov. 30. Low humidity and windy conditions, along with dry grasses and fallen leaves, combine this time of year to create favorable conditions for wildfires to spark and spread quickly. During years of dry summers — such as this one — wildfires are even more common. So far this year, Virginia has experienced 500 wildfires which is consistent with past years.
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