Weekend rain not enough for Dismal Swamp fire

Thunderstorms that moved through the area overnight did little to dampen the fire in the Dismal Swamp -- the area saw less than one-tenth inch of rain.

Winds are shifting to the west today, threatening the Dismal Swamp State Park in North Carolina.

For now, firefighters are continuing their strategy of flooding the swamp as much as possible, but they are also facing threats from trees falling as a result of burning organic soil. On Sunday, firefighter efforts were spent clearing fallen trees from a ditch on the south end of the fire, where it continues to spread.

The heavy rain that fell Saturday night in Hampton Roads wasn't enough to stop the fire raging in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. And today, winds are expected to blow smoke toward Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

Code Orange air conditions are possible, meaning active children and adults, and people with heart or lung disease, should limit or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities.

After that, the plume is expected to blow toward North Carolina for a few days.

It wasn't immediately clear whether rain overnight helped soak the ground and dampen the fire. There's a chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms today, but drier weather is expected for midweek.

About two-thirds inch fell Saturday over the swamp, said Matt Scalora, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wakefield. Another half an inch was expected Sunday, he said.

But more is needed.

"That small amount of rain is not enough to put out a large fire," Scalora said.

Nor is it enough to have much effect on the smoke, according to the National Weather Service.

A lightning strike sparked the fire that has billowed smoke and ash over Hampton Roads for the past week. It had burned 6,156 acres by Sunday afternoon.

In a news release, a team comprising members of various state and federal agencies said Saturday's rain cooled smaller branches and sticks, but it had little effect on the extremely hot embers deep in the peat and under large logs.

Firefighters are still pumping water from Lake Drummond into the area that's burning, but even if the 6 inches of rain needed to douse the fire does fall, the pumps would have to run for a month to put it out completely, Timothy Craig, fire management officer for the wildlife refuge, said in the news release.

Elisabeth Hulette, (757) 222-5216, elisabeth.hulette@pilotonline.com

Pilot writer Veronica Gonzalez contributed to this report.