Posted: 1:56 PM Apr 10, 2012
Reporter: Litsa Pappas

Neighbors Help Firefighters Battling Wildfire

Fire crews used a helicopter to scoop up water from a neighbor's lake and fly it over to the wildfire in Page County.

That lake belongs to Scott Shuler.

"Anything we can do to help the fire, anything at all because it's getting bad out here. It's pretty bad," said Shuler.

The fire continued to burn in Page County with smoke filling the air on Tuesday afternoon.

Operations Chief of the Virginia Department of Forestry John Hisghman said neighbors, like Shuler, have become a huge help to the firefighters.

"The residents of this area have been tremendously gracious,” said Hisghman. “And I'm sure they've been through fires before, so we've had people, residents who have dropped off hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, that have just been great."

Shuler said he's willing to help firefighters too.

"Food, water, putting the johns up. Anything they need all they gotta do is knock at the door," said Shuler.

Firefighters created containment lines to stop the fire from spreading in certain areas.

"What the bulldozers will do is they will go in and remove the fuel by taking the duff and the soil so that it's mineral soil so that it won't burn," said Hisghman.

They'll continue to work hard to contain this wildfire and good neighbors, like Shuler, say they will do what they can to help them out.

"Hope they can soon get it out. That's all I can say," said Shuler.

Firefighters said the wind over the last couple days has just made it worse.

It allowed the fire to spread quickly and made it hard for crews to put it out.

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