Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared a state of emergency on Tuesday due to two wildfires, exacerbated by dry conditions and strong winds.
This declaration empowers Virginia to mobilize additional resources, personnel, and equipment to support their firefighting efforts, as per the governor’s office. The operation includes the Virginia National Guard, the Department of Forestry, the Department of Emergency Management, and other relevant agencies.
The Quaker Run Fire in Madison County and the Tuggles Gap Fire in Patrick County breached containment lines over the weekend, necessitating extra resources to contain these fires and respond to potential new incidents.
Virginia’s fall fire season typically runs until November 30, but officials are facing the challenge of controlling these fires due to severe drought conditions.
In a related development, a state of emergency has also been declared in a western North Carolina community, where a wildfire has consumed hundreds of acres and posed a threat to homes. Across forested regions in Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, firefighting crews are dealing with multiple separate blazes as these states confront moderate to severe drought conditions and above-average temperatures.
