The Wythe County Engineering and Building Inspector’s Departments will be hosting an information workshop regarding new state mandated stormwater regulations.

The educational workshop is scheduled to be held Thursday, December 5, 2013, at 6p.m., inside the Wythe County Board of Supervisors Board Room.

The goal of the information meeting will be to pass along news to the public, regarding new state laws governing stormwater management.

In addition to sharing information with the citizens, county stormwater management officials will also use this time to listen to the concerns of citizens.

In compliance with Virginia law, the Wythe County Board of Supervisors will be establishing a stormwater ordinance in the coming year.

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In 2012, the Wythe County Board of Supervisors adopted a new ordinance regarding motor vehicle license fees and county decals. Below you will find the facts regarding the new process:
1. For calendar year 2013, the Board of Supervisors elected to keep motor vehicle decals in place. These decals will expire on December 31, 2013. This year’s county decals were sold at a reduced price, as they were set to expire at the end of the year.

2. In place of windshield decals, the county enacted a motor vehicle license fee. For calendar year 2014, the license fee will be assessed only upon all registered vehicles and will be shown on the personal property bill due by December 5, 2013.

3. For calendar year 2015, the fee will be assessed upon all vehicles “registered or titled upon the records of the Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles…”

4. The license fee amount shall be $20.00 “for each and every automobile, passenger vehicle, and bus;”

$10.00 for “each and every motorcycle, motor scooter, or motor bike…”

$20.00 for “each and every truck, semi-trailer, ambulance and other similar vehicles…”

The license fee for trailers will be $10.00.

5. No county license fee shall be imposed upon antique motor vehicles for which antique license plates have been issued by the Virginia DMV.

6. Residents of the Town of Wytheville and Town of Rural Retreat are not subject to any of the above listed points.

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The National Weather Service issued a briefing Monday morning, warning Thanksgiving travelers to expect a wintery mix of sleet, snow and freezing rain.

According to the weather service, the wintery mix will change to freezing rain early Monday night / Tuesday morning.

The briefing also stated:

• Heavy rain Tuesday, greater than 2” possible.

• Snow developing Tuesday night/Wednesday, with moderate accumulations in the mountains.

• Wind gusts 40-50 MPH Wednesday.

• Impacts: Hazardous travel conditions for early Tuesday and Wednesday. Isolated power outages due to wind on Wednesday.

Emergency officials are advising residents to take these facts into consideration when determining travel plans for the holiday.

Additional information regarding winter storm preparedness may be found at Ready.gov , or by clicking here.

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Things to do before the storm:

To prepare for a winter storm you should do the following:

• Before winter approaches, add the following supplies to your emergency kit:
  • Rock salt or more environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways. Visit the Environmental Protection Agency for a complete list of recommended products.
  • Sand to improve traction.
  • Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment.
  • Sufficient heating fuel. You may become isolated in your home and regular fuel sources may be cut off. Store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.
  • Adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm.
• Make a Family Communications Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.
• Listen to a NOAA Weather Radio or other local news channels for critical information from the National Weather Service (NWS). Be alert to changing weather conditions.
• Minimize travel. If travel is necessary, keep a disaster supplies kit in your vehicle.
• Bring pets/companion animals inside during winter weather. Move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas with non-frozen drinking water.

Things to do during the storm:

• Stay indoors during the storm.
• Walk carefully on snowy, icy, walkways.
• Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow. Overexertion can bring on a heart attack—a major cause of death in the winter. If you must shovel snow, stretch before going outside.
• Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses all of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly.
• Watch for signs of frostbite. These include loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, and the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, get medical help immediately.
• Watch for signs of hypothermia. These include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion. If symptoms of hypothermia are detected, get the victim to a warm location, remove wet clothing, warm the center of the body first and give warm, non-alcoholic beverages if the victim is conscious. Get medical help as soon as possible.
• Drive only if it is absolutely necessary. If you must drive: travel in the day; don’t travel alone; keep others informed of your schedule; stay on main roads and avoid back road shortcuts.
• Let someone know your destination, your route, and when you expect to arrive. If your car gets stuck along the way, help can be sent along your predetermined route.
• If the pipes freeze, remove any insulation or layers of newspapers and wrap pipes in rags. Completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they were most exposed to the cold (or where the cold was most likely to penetrate).
• Maintain ventilation when using kerosene heaters to avoid build-up of toxic fumes. Refuel kerosene heaters outside and keep them at least three feet from flammable objects.
• Conserve fuel, if necessary, by keeping your residence cooler than normal. Temporarily close off heat to some rooms.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55ºF.

Things to do after winter storm and during extreme cold:

• Go to a designated public shelter if your home loses power or heat during periods of extreme cold. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345).
• Continue to protect yourself from frostbite and hypothermia by wearing warm, loose-fitting, lightweight clothing in several layers. Stay indoors, if possible.

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WYTHE COUNTY, Va. — The United States Forest Service hosted a town hall meeting Friday night in Speedwell, informing the public of the fire’s scope and their progress in battling the blaze.  Click here to watch video of meeting.

Beth Merz, Area Ranger for Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, told the crowd of more than sixty residents that a fire of this magnitude was “unusual for Mount Rogers,” adding “if it hadn’t been for the willingness of a lot of folks in the Forest Service, our state partners, Wythe County, and especially our good neighbors at the Speedwell Volunteer Fire Department – supporting the efforts that are going on – I don’t think we’d be very far along right now.”

Wythe County spokesperson Jeremy Farley told the audience that throughout the entire incident the county has remained in close contact with the Forest Service in order to ensure private property remains safe.

“No structures whatsoever are in any danger.  The fire is on national forest property and is no threat to private property.  That’s something we’re very grateful for,” concluded Farley, before acknowledging that smoke had been an issue for the community earlier that day.

Farley told county residents that the county was monitoring the smoke and had reached out to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality earlier that day in an effort to be proactive.

The latest briefing county officials received from the US Forest Service occurred Saturday afternoon.  In that briefing, county officials were advised that the ground fire had burned approximately 1,088 acres and is expected to burn 1,400 acres total.

Fire crews were successful in establishing a line around the entire fire on Friday, and burnout operations were conducted to eliminate unburned fuel between established lines and the fire perimeter.  Significant progress was made in eliminating this unburned fuel; however, the fire will continue to burn through the weekend.  Fire crews are continuing containment efforts today, by improving existing lines.

Approximately 70 firefighters and support staff, including one 20-person initial attack crew, one dozer, one engine, and a helicopter are assisting with the fire.

An area closure is in effect beginning with the national forest boundary east of highway 21; National forest boundary north and west of CC Camp Road; National forest boundary south of Speedwell.  Forest Road 14 is closed to the public.

Smoke from a wildfire in North Carolina has mixed with smoke from the national forest fire in Speedwell, creating an increased inversion layer throughout southwest Virginia.  This combined smoke may be visible near Speedwell and surrounding areas for several days.

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SPEEDWELL, Va. – The United States Forest Service will be hosting a public meeting to discuss the national forest fire in Wythe County’s section of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area.

The meeting will be held in the gymnasium of Speedwell Elementary School and is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. tonight.

Officials from the U.S. Forest Service and Wythe County will present current information regarding the status of the national forest fire. All members of the public are invited to attend and a question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

As of Friday morning, U.S. Forest Service officials were stating that the 500 acre fire was approximately 15% contained.

The fire, which is located entirely on federal government land, is being worked solely by federal and state fire fighters. Local volunteer fire departments are on standby in the event that additional resources are needed and the Speedwell Volunteer Fire Department’s firehouse is being used as a base of operations.

Wythe County emergency officials are remaining in constant contact with fire crews and are closely monitoring the situation, including the effects of smoke.

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality advised residents with asthma and respiratory problems downwind of the smoke to remain indoors if possible.

According to the National Weather Service, Wythe County is expected to receive roughly 1/10th of an inch of rainfall this evening.

The fire is burning in steep rugged terrain, on Horse Heaven Mountain. Access to the fire remains difficult due to the remote location of the fire. Dry conditions combined with low relative humidity and an increase in winds will allow this fire to burn through the weekend. Fire crews will utilize backfiring to help with containment efforts. No structures are currently threatened at this time.

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SPEEDWELL, Va. – According to the United States Forest Service, the forest fire atop Horse Heaven Mountain, south of Speedwell, has expanded to more than 200 acres and is expected to grow considerably prior to being extinguished. The fire is located entirely on national forest property and is not anticipated to become a threat to private property or county residents.

Approximately 68 federal and state firefighters are working the scene, including one hotshot crew, two dozers, two engines and a helicopter.

Despite the steep and rugged terrain of Horse Heaven Mountain, fire crews are digging containment lines and cutting trenches.

The Speedwell Volunteer Fire Department is on standby and has allowed their firehouse to serve as a base of operations for fire crews battling the blaze.

Wythe County’s Department of Emergency Management is working closely with state and federal fire crews, taking a primary role in monitoring private property.

“The fire is positioned entirely on national forest property and is not expected to pose a threat to private property,” stated Wythe County Emergency Manager Ikey Davidson.

Davidson continued, “We are carefully monitoring the fire’s smoke and stand ready to assist in any way possible. Should the situation change, we are prepared to take additional action – as our primary concern is safeguarding the lives and property of local residents.”

According to Forest Service officials, the blaze will continue into the weekend.

The Henley Hollow Trail and a section of the Virginia Highland Horse Trail, located along the top of Horse Heaven Mountain are closed. Fire crews are also warning hunters that it is unlawful to hunt adjacent to forest fires.

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Last night, at approximately 10:04 p.m., the Wythe County E-911 dispatch center received a call from Jerry Porter Chief of the Speedwell Volunteer Fire Department. Porter stated that he had received reports from area residents of a forest fire roughly one-mile south of the community of Speedwell.

Dispatchers immediately notified the US Forestry Service (USFS) of the fire.

At 10:30 a.m., USFS told county officials that the fire’s size was approximately 40-acres. The forestry service also stated that firefighters were working to erect a containment line.

USFS says that approximately 20 firefighters are expected to be on the scene by noon.

Additionally, two dozers and a helicopter have been ordered to the area.

“The county has been in contact with the US Forestry Service and we will continue to monitor the situation very closely,” said Wythe County spokesman Jeremy Farley.

Farley added, “It is important to note that the fire is entirely located in the National Forest and that Wythe County residents and their property are in no significant danger. Should anything change, we will notify the public immediately. ”

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