BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – UPDATE
The Matts Creek wildfire has grown to 3,600 acres in size as of Thursday evening at 6 p.m.
That’s about 2,727 football fields, for reference.
Find more updates here.
ORIGINAL STORY
The Matts Creek Wildfire, which broke out Sunday, has grown to 2,700 acres, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
For reference, that’s more than 2,000 football fields.
[RELATED: Weather Authority Alert Day extended through Saturday, Nov. 18 due to fast-growing wildfire]
The U.S. Forest Service said the entire fire is on the National Forest lands and no structures are threatened right now.
However, the no.1 priority is protecting private property in and around Hunt Club and Peters Creek Roads in Bedford County. The wildfire is 4 miles southeast of Glasgow. It’s also about 5 miles northwest of Big Island, Virginia.
Air quality concerns from the wildfire’s smoke have also prompted all Rockbridge County Schools to close Thursday. Division leaders are in close contact with U.S. Forest Service advisors and local emergency management teams. Other divisions closed later on, and several were closed Friday as well.
U.S. Forest Service’s Spokesperson Stephanie Chapman said about 120 firefighters and support staff are working to contain the fire. The department has also called in one helicopter and two airplanes to help drop water.
Chapman also said crews from across the country are coming to help contain the fire.
“Some of our resources are coming from Oregon. We had a gentleman just arrive from Colorado. We’re having some folks come from Arizona, so people have to travel a little bit to get here,” said Chapman.
However, the location of the fire is making containment efforts even more difficult.
“It’s also quite remote, firefighters had to walk three miles just to get to the fire,” said Chapman.
The cause of the wildfire is undetermined at the moment.