A forest fire burned about four acres of land inside Primland March 16, according to a report from Lamont Bryant, assistant emergency management coordinator for Patrick County.
The problem for the approximately 20 firefighters who responded to the call at 1:30 p.m. was the extremely steep terrain where the fire was located, Bryant said.
“They had to walk in with hand tools and cut a ring around the fire to stop it,” he said, explaining that the land was too steep to get trucks and equipment to the fire.
The firefighters got the fire under control by 4 p.m. and most stayed until around 6 p.m., putting out hot spots, Bryant said.
Responding units included the Meadows of Dan Volunteer Fire Department and the Stuart Volunteer Fire Department, with the Ararat Rescue Squad on standby in case of injuries.
Primland’s maintenance crew of about 10 employees was also helpful, Bryant said.
“All the guys did a good job of getting it under control,” he said.
“It was not close to being a crown fire,” Bryant said, referring to the type of fire that flies through the tops of large trees. “It just burned the duff on the forest floor.”
Bryant said he didn’t know what started the fire but speculated that it began near one of the roads that runs through the resort property.
