Kate Ryan, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Two major fires on opposite sides of the Shenandoah Valley continue to burn, and firefighters are working to keep up with the blazes.
In the George Washington National Forest, 353 acres are on fire and teams of firefighters have 5 percent of the blaze contained.
Cindy Frenzel, public information officer for the U.S. Forest Service explains the firefighters have to hike for miles to get to the blaze, and they’re using bulldozers and hand tools to contain it.
Frenzel says they are also fighting a major wildfire of 850 acres in Shenandoah National Park.
Fighting the fires is intensely hot work, and the firefighters are drinking about 4 bottles of water an hour, and must take breaks to fend of heat related illness, she says.
Because they can’t carry enough water to keep them hydrated, the helicopter that’s being used to fight the fires is also carrying out “water drops” to keep the firefighters hydrated.
For information on what trails are affected by the fires check:
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