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

DATE: SUNDAY, April 16, 1995                   TAG: 9504180080
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MATT CHITTUM
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

CRAIG FOREST FIRES BEHAVE; MOP-UP EFFORTS CONTINUE

Except for a few spot flare-ups, the fires that ravaged thousands of acres of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Craig County this week are behaving themselves.

Flames about 2 or 3 feet high in the area of the south fire were quickly contained Saturday, according to a news release from Bob Miller, fire information officer for the National Forest Service. For the most part, firefighters continued mop-up and forest rehabilitation efforts.

With the continuing dry weather, fire crews remain stationed along the length of the national forests, the release said. Four helicopters and two air tanker planes stand ready to dump water and fire retardant chemicals where needed.

The 25 Virginia Army National Guard soldiers activated earlier this week to transport firefighters to the fire lines also are on duty, National Guard Maj. Tom Wilkinson said in a news release.

The ban on open fires in the national forest and several other Central and Southwest Virginia counties remains in effect.

by CNB