Woods Arson Seems To Be On The Increase YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

The face of ARSON has changed over time from the Fire Wolf to GUBRIF and the Fire Bug which looked a lot like a dragon. What does the face of an arsonist look like today?  The face of an arsonist looks a lot like you and me it could be someone in your neighborhood, someone you see in the local grocery store. It could be a man, a woman, a teenager or a senior citizen.

Arson is regarded as one of the easiest crimes to perpetrate and the most challenging to identify and verify.  Even though the challenges are many each and every one of us has a responsibility to help put a stop to this senseless crime. And it IS A CRIME no matter who perpetrates it. It is also NOT a victimless Crime; it can have very serious consequences and can even be deadly!

Investigating the origin and cause of a wildfire to determine if it is a case of arson  requires the work of skilled fire and arson investigators sifting through ash and debris to determine if a fire was in fact arson. We can help by reporting ANY suspicious activity and by calling the authorities IMMEDIATELY if you see a wildfire in the area where Arson has been the suspected cause of a wildfire. Many arsonists tend to “work” in a  specific locality and rarely travel great distances away from where they work or travel to on a regular basis.

SMOKEY BEAR, FIREFIGHTERS AND YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS REALLY NEED YOUR HELP!

Arson Rewards offered and Wildfire Updates, Almost 30,000 acres in VA have burned in last 10 days

Arson Suspected As Cause of Page County and Bath County Wildfires, $2,000 Reward Offered

Wildland fire investigators suspect that the 4,000-acre Shipwreck Fire burning in Page County was ignited by one or more arsonists as was the 125 acre Stuart Fire in Patrick County.   
“The lives and property of residents and firefighters are directly threatened by these suspicious fires,” said John Miller, director of resource protection for the Virginia Department of Forestry.  “When a wildfire is intentionally set, it endangers lives and can cause unbelievable destruction to land, trees and homes,” Miller said.  “In addition, when firefighters are working an arson fire, they and their equipment are not available to suppress other wildland fires.  This depletion of resources puts even more people and their property at risk.”
The Virginia Department of Forestry needs citizens to be vigilant in the fight against arson.  If you see something suspicious, call 911 or in Page County you can call the Page County Crime Solvers Number at 540-743-3272. Call immediately day or night the quicker law enforcement officers can respond the greater the chance to be successful.  Your help may be worth up to $2,000 – the reward offered for information that leads to the conviction of an arsonist.
The lack of rain, low humidity, high winds and mountainous terrain helped the fire spread quickly, and the additional fire starts pose great danger to anyone or anything in their path.
Woods arson is the common term for deliberately burning forests, grasslands or brush without the owner’s permission. The VDOF and other law enforcement officials are concerned with the number and frequency of these dangerous, destructive and senseless criminal acts. Woods arson is a felony in Virginia and, when convicted, the guilty person could serve up to five years in prison, pay a fine of $2,500 and be liable for the cost of suppressing the fire.
If you see any fire where firefighters have not yet arrived on the scene, make note of the following:

• Location and time of the fire
• Description of persons observed in the area
• Description of any vehicles observed and the license plate if possible
• Any other pertinent information

"We need the public's help in the continuing investigation of the cause of these suspicious fires,”. Your information may be just the piece of the puzzle that helps us put an end to potentially deadly and criminal acts.” 

Summary:  

                        Elevated fire weather conditions continue across Virginia. Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) reports 33 fires burned approximately 102 acres on private land. Fifty-one homes/structures were protected and 1 home/structure was damaged from Friday, 13 April, through Sunday, 15 April. Large wildfires on private property and National Forest land:

·         Easter Complex (6 fires managed by U.S. Forest Service Incident Management Team the “Blue Team”)

o   Page County, Shipwreck Fire: acreage burned – 4,000; 100% contained

o   Alleghany/Craig Counties, Barbours Creek Fire: acreage burned – 4,783; 40% contained

o   Shenandoah County, Wolf Gap Fire: acreage burned – 755; 95% contained

o   Alleghany/Rockbridge Counties, Rich Hole Fire: acreage burned – 12,131; 30% containment

o   Alleghany County, Alleghany Tunnel Fire: acreage burned – 11,381; 85% contained

o   Bath County, Porter Mills Fire: acreage burned – 879; 95% contained (assumed management on 15 April)

The following Counties have notified us that they have implemented county wide bans on all open burning that are over and above the stats 4PM burn law. PLEASE check with your county if you are planning any outdoor activity that may involve open burning.

Botetourt County

King George County

Caroline County

Bath County and

Northampton County.

 In addition I know that Douthat State Park has also enacted restrictions on within the boundary of the park that prohibit campfires and the use of any outdoor fires.

From the Park’s web site….Due to extreme fire conditions there is a burn ban within the park. All open fires and charcoal fires are prohibited at this time. Propane is permissible.