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U.S. Forest Service firefighters are battling a fast-growing forest fire 5 miles southeast of Glasgow this week.
The Matts Creek Fire is located south of U.S. 501 and the James River in Bedford County within the James River Face Wilderness on the Jefferson National Forest and can be seen from numerous places in Rockbridge County.
The fire, which was first reported on Sunday, had grown from 15 acres on Monday to 150 acres by midday Tuesday, according to an update from the Forest Service.
The Glasgow Volunteer Fire Department was among the local departments who were called out to investigate the fire on Sunday. As of Tuesday, 57 Forest Service firefighters and support staff, a fire engine and two helicopters were involved in battling the fire. It was considered 0 percent contained as of Tuesday.
The cause of the fire is so far undetermined.
While the firefighting is taking place, the Forest Service has closed the parking lot for the James River foot bridge. Also the Matts Creek Trail is closed, as is the portion of the Appalachian Trail from the foot bridge to Petites Gap Road, the Piney Ridge Trail, the Balcony Falls Trail, the Gunther Ridge Trail, the Belfast Trail and the Sulphur Springs Trail.
For fire updates, visit www. inciweb.wildfire.gov/vavafmatts- creek-fire.
