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Old 08-13-2011, 10:53 PM
 
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So this big fire is still spreading.
I guess it started from lightning being struck, that is all it took to amass this much damage?

No human causes?

This has not been reported, but I am wondering, has there been a lot of harm done to wildlife in the swamp and how big a chunk has been taken by the flares?
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Old 08-14-2011, 02:55 AM
 
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People here in the DC area are claiming that they smell smoke. Is there some rain in the forecast today? Anyone know what's going on?
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Old 08-14-2011, 06:17 AM
 
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smithy77 View Post
People here in the DC area are claiming that they smell smoke. Is there some rain in the forecast today? Anyone know what's going on?
I read the daily press online yesterday and the picture they had in Newport News visibility was very limited. I would not be surprised at DC folk smelling smoke. Just ask folks in the SW, one lighting strike is all it takes especially if you have drought or dry windy conditions.
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Old 08-14-2011, 10:27 AM
 
Location: From TX to VA
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Today's paper reported that the smoke could be seen as far away as Baltimore. Haven't heard anything about DC. The wind direction is what affects which way that smoke blows. Some days are not so bad here in Virginia Beach. Other days were awful! Unfortunately, when it's not so bad here, it's bad somewhere else.

I hoped that the recent rain from yesterday helped a little but this morning's update says that only about 2/3 of an inch fell yesterday. Not near enough to do any good. The fire is up to over 5,600 acres with no end in sight.

Here is LINK to a story that came out in the local paper (Virginian Pilot) on August 10. It includes pictures showing how thick the smoke was on a bad day. Picture #2 was taken in one of our city parks just a few miles from the Oceanfront.

We need a LOT of rain for that fire to be put out. One of the local stations used a graphic to explain how the fire is traveling. It's a peat fire and according to the graphic, it can burn as much as 15ft underground and then come up as flames when it hits pockets of air.

Hudlander, you were asking about the wildlife. This LINK (http://www.firehouse.com/news/top-headlines/great-dismal-swamp-fire-vanc-sets-records - broken link) to an article at Firehouse.com talks a bit about the wildlife in the swamp that may be affected by the fire.
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Old 08-15-2011, 01:05 PM
 
Location: Land of Thought and Flow
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Honestly, while it sucks, we needed this fire. There was still a lot of dead brush and trees back from Isabel that the 2008 fire didn't clear out.
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Old 08-15-2011, 10:37 PM
 
Location: Chesapeake, VA
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I live on the edge of the swamp, and every day I can smell the smoke. Thankfully it isn't as bad as it was during the 2008 wildfire. It is my understanding that this fire is burning much of the same land. There was some rain today too; I hope it helps put this thing out! The GDS is one of my favorite places to go. In my opinion, "Dismal" is quite the misnomer. Thank you for the links, LilyLady! They are quite informative.
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Old 08-17-2011, 08:54 AM
 
Location: From TX to VA
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Default NC Highway closed due to smoke

This is awful. The smoke is so thick and dense on Highway 13 that the hwy has been closed. Visibility was from zero feet to 5 feet in areas. One of our local television stations posted these recent photos including some from this morning. Here's the LINK (http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-great-dismal-swamp-fire-smoke-and-haze--20110809,0,3390648.photogallery - broken link)to what they shared earlier today.

Geez... we need a LOT of rain to put out these peat soil fires.
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Old 08-17-2011, 01:07 PM
 
Location: Virginia Beach
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It isn't common for us to get fires like this. I am just glad that I'm not in an area of the country when it happens every year.

Whatever the direction the wind is blowing is the direction the smoke will travel so it is not surprising to hear that places like DC, MD, or DE can smell it.

It's rough but it is renewing the land, but hopefully we get a few days of some solid continual rain soon.
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Old 08-22-2011, 04:10 PM
 
Location: From TX to VA
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Default Maybe this will help put it out.

This track appeared on our local news today. Maybe the rain will put out the fire. I certainly hope so. The local weather folks are saying that landfall may be a bit further north which is good news for the firefighters. If it moves east, we may not get very much rain. So now we watch...

Last edited by LilyLady; 08-27-2014 at 02:53 PM..
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Old 08-22-2011, 06:57 PM
 
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Up here in Richmond you can occasionally smell the smoke. Last weekend was much worst, with a thick visible haze all around the city.

There were actually pics from the local paper (RTD) that clearly showed the smoke:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/mgmedia/image/0/354/166978/smoke-richmond/ (broken link)
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/mgmedia/image/0/354/166980/richmond-smoke/ (broken link)

Fortunately the wind cooperated with my mini-vacation plans as I went to Williamsburg this weekend. I didn't see or smell much of any smoke except for about 30 minutes on Friday night.
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