Firefighters at this hour continue to battle a brush fire along Poor Mountain that has consumed more than 100 acres along the Roanoke/Montgomery County line.

About 50 firefighters gathered this morning at the command post, which is located at the Eastern Montgomery County High School, to figure out their game plan in attacking the fire, which had grown since Wednesday night.

“Our resources are very slim right now,” said David Cooper, a forest warden with the Virginia Department of Forestry. “With fires going on in the northern Shenandoah Valley area, as well as in the Dismal Swamp area, we are very slim on manpower and other resources.”

Cooper, who said the fire could last into next week, is expecting more crews to help with the firefighting efforts this weekend, including some Job Corp members.

Crews are working to make a fire barrier at least three feet wide and about one to two miles long.

Currently, the fire, according to Cooper, is threatening no houses or other structures.

“This is a small fire right now,” said Cooper. “It will continue to grow and at this point, we have no idea how big it may get.”

By mid-afternoon, smoke from the fire was visible from several miles away and could also be smelled as far away as Floyd County and Radford.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has also posted a low visibility warning from MM 118 to MM 130 on Interstate 81, as well as Route 460, which is from Christiansburg to north of Lafayette/Roanoke County line.

According to forestry officials, the fire started Tuesday during a thunderstorm. The fire was not pinpointed until Wednesday.

EverythingNRV will keep you updated on this fire, as new information is released.

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