Gusty winds, unseasonably warm temperatures and an abundance of dry, newly fallen leaves posed challenges to firefighters battling nearly 2,000 acres of forest fires scattered through Kanawha, Boone and Raleigh counties on Wednesday.
"High winds are the biggest issue right now," said Walt Jackson, the state Division of Forestry's assistant state forester for forest protection. "Firefighters have a hard time containing things when there are winds gusting at 40-plus miles an hour."
Wednesday's gusty winds also grounded the Division of Forestry's fire-spotting aircraft, Jackson said.
But firefighters were hoping heavy rains expected Wednesday night would douse the flames.
"As soon as that rain hits, that pretty much does it in," said Kanawha County Fire Coordinator C.W. Sigman.
"I'll be really be surprised if the fires are not out by the morning. I expect the air tomorrow will smell a lot fresher."
Sigman heard that Charleston was expecting 3/4 of an inch of rain, and Cabin Creek and more southern parts of the state were expecting 1 to 2 inches of rain.
"If we get a sprinkle, we'll be introuble," Sigman said.
In Kanawha County on Wednesday, a uncontrolled fire along Long Branch in the Cabin Creek area had burned about 500 acres, and a blaze in nearby Giles Hollow had scorched 450 acres and had yet to be brought under control. Along Scotts Branch of Fields Creek in the Winifrede area, a 150-acre fire remained uncontrolled, and firefighters were battling brush fires along Big Bottom Hollow near Tad on Campbells Creek and in Martins Hollow off Rutledge Road.
In Boone County, a fire had spread through 500 acres of woodland along Lots Branch near Prenter and 150 acres in the vicinity of Mohler Road.
Three smaller fires were burning in Raleigh County, according to the Division of Forestry.
So far this fall, 202 wildfires have been recorded in West Virginia, according to Division of Forestry spokeswoman Leslie Fitzwater Smithson. A total of 7,631 acres of woodland have been scorched, with nearly all of the fires occurring since Nov. 1.
A National Weather Service wind advisory for much of southwestern West Virginia was in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday. Winds from the southeast, gusting at up to 50 miles per hour, were expected to precede the arrival of a cold front, bringing with it up to an inch of rainfall by daybreak on Thursday.
"That should help us put existing fires out and replenish the moisture in the leaf litter," Jackson said.
Kanawha County Manager Jennifer Sayre urged county residents to refrain from outdoor burning until the rainfall arrives.
Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelhammer@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5169 or @rsteelhammer on Twitter.