A wildfire that flared up in Shenandoah National Park was caused by an illegal campfire that wasn't doused, park officials say.
Still, Shenandoah got off much better than Rocks Mountain National Park, where an illegal campfire in October 2012 led to the Fern Lake FIre that burned nearly 3,500 acres and lasted for nearly nine months before being declared out.
The Shenandoah fire, dubbed the Rocks Mountain Fire, was spotted last Friday afternoon. It burned about 450 acres inside the park before a winter storm brought rain, sleet, and snow to the area and knocked it down early this week.
Fire managers visited the fire location just northeast of Crimora, Virginia, on Thursday and confirmed that a continuous layer of snow still covered much of the incident area. Once the snow melts, firefighters will patrol the area for hot spots.
The following trails remain closed: Riprap, Wildcat Ridge, Rocks Mountain and Paine Run.