The Matts Creek Fire prompted closure of 20 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia/USFS

A wildfire in the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia prompted a closure Wednesday of 20 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway due to smoky conditions and to allow firefighters to stage equipment for fighting the fire.

The Matts Creek Fire, said to cover about 1,200 acres, started Sunday and was burning in stands of mixed hardwood on steep and rocky landscapes within the James River Face Wilderness in the national forest. It was 5 miles southeast of Glasgow, Virginia, and 5 miles northwest of Big Island. Roughly 80 firefighters were battling the flames, but as of Wednesday afternoon they had not managed to build any containment lines around it. A cause had not been identified.

Blue Ridge Parkway officials said a full closure of the parkway from milepost 66.3, near US Highway 501, to milepost 85.9, at Virginia Route 43 would take effect Wednesday evening. Park visitors should plan for a detour from the north or south using these adjacent routes and Interstate 81.

Behind closed gates, the Parkway was closed to all uses including motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. The public’s cooperation with these closures helps support the safety of staff, visitors, and fire crews.

The following areas also were temporarily closed to allow for public and fire fighter safety:

• Appalachian Trail (FT #1) from James River Foot Bridge to Petite’s Gap Road (FR #35)
• James River Foot Bridge Parking Lot
• Matts Creek Trail (FT #4/Old A.T.)
• Piney Ridge Trail (FT #2)
• Balcony Falls Trail (FT #7)
• Gunther Ridge Trail (FT #8)
• Belfast Trail (FT #9) 
• Sulphur Springs Trail (FT# 3001)

Fire danger across the mid-Atlantic states was high due to prolonged drought.