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

DATE: THURSDAY, June 23, 1994                   TAG: 9407210022
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Matt Chittum
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

WEATHER HELPS CAUSE, QUASH FIRE

Roanoke County Deputy Fire Chief Larry Logan said the recent drought conditions probably contributed to the start of the fire, but Wednesday's high humidity and lack of wind ultimately helped keep it from spreading.

"If we had a little lower humidity and the wind, we most likely would have had a different story," he said.

Brush fires this time of year are fairly unusual, according to Logan. Most brush fires occur between March 1 and May 15.

Logan said lightning from an electrical storm was the likely cause of the half-acre blaze near the 5200 block of Bradshaw Road. The fire was reported at 10:09 a.m.

Logan said a crew of 15 firefighters had to walk about an hour and a half to the scene of the fire. He said they had the fire under control around 2 p.m. but were still on the scene Wednesday evening.