
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, April 25, 1994                   TAG: 9404250091
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Lisa Applegate
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

90-ACRE FOREST FIRE RAGES IN NORTHERN BOTETOURT

A fire continued to consume 90 acres of the Jefferson National Forest Sunday night in Botetourt County.

Volunteer firefighters from Botetourt and Craig counties, Virginia Tech and the George Washington National Forest spent Sunday battling the fire near Eagle Rock.

"We've had a Virginia Department of Forestry helicopter doing water drops, and two air tankers made several retardant drops," fire information officer David Olsen said.

The tankers, brought in from Asheville, N.C., and Bristol, dropped a phosphorus-based retardant, which cools the fire and reduces the amount of oxygen it consumes.

But even with the retardant, Olsen expected the fire to burn through this morning.

"We'll have crews out all night digging a fire line around the fire to contain it, then hopefully by morning, we'll have additional crews go in and the cool the hot spots."

The area, which includes the Hoop Hole and Stoney Run trails, is a popular site for hiking, hunting and fishing. Olsen said no structures were at risk.

by CNB