The Rocky Branch Fire in Shenandoah National Park was 76% contained Tuesday morning/NPS
Weekend rains helped firefighters gain the upper hand on the Rocky Branch Fire in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. As of Tuesday morning it was reported to be 76 percent contained; all of Skyline Drive was expected to be open to traffic on Wednesday.
Ground crews were working on dousing small smoldering pockets of fire, which covered nearly 1,000 acres. More rain was in the forecast for Wednesday.
Some sections of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail remained closed in the park: From Elkwallow to Beahms Gap, Rocky Branch Neighbor Mountain, Jeremys Run; Hull School Trail from Skyline Drive to Thornton River Upper Trail; and Thornton River Upper Trail from intersection of Hull School Trail to Skyline Drive.
No cause has been attributed to the fire, which was spotted on private land near Luray, Virginia, last Wednesday. A ban on all fires within Shenandoah remained in place.
