[Bristol-Birds] Forest fire at Mendota tower

Shortly after 4:00 am, Saturday (Nov 7), a forest fire was discovered burning 
along the crest of Clinch Mountain at the Mendota tower.

The tower is the observation base for the annual September hawk watch conducted 
by area birders.

The fire was found by a crew of the Welmont One medical helicopter which was 
enroute to transport a patient from Clinch Valley Medical Center. 

A Virginia State Police Med Flight helicopter, returning from a patient 
delivery to the Johnson City Medical Center, flew to the area to get a more 
precise determination. The VSP crew swept the fire with a search light and 
found it burning at the tower in both Russell and Washington counties.

Goodson-Kinderhook Vol Fire Dept from Washington Co, north of Bristol VA, 
reached the lookout with a five-man crew and determined about three acres 
burning on the Washington County side at the crest. 

The Washington Co Vol Fire Dept from Exit 10 of I-81,   had a crew reporting to 
the scene.

The Moccasin Gap and Copper Creek VFD from Scott Co, was dispatched to the 
Russell Co side of the fire.

The Virginia Dept of Forestry at Abingdon had a bulldozer and crew enroute.

Most of the fire was evidently on the Russell Co face of the Clinch.    

Just after 5:15, the Welmont One crew, on its return flight to Bristol Regional 
Medical Center, reported it was a "heck of a fire" and it was burning very 
strong. A high wind was blowing into the fire from the south.  

The flight crew believed it was burning at what appeared to be a cliff.  The 
Mendota lookout is situated at the edge of a large cliff.

There was no preliminary indication as to whether the fire threatened the tower 
and other facilities.

Tom Hunter, who coordinates the hawk watch site for birders, told the Bristol 
Bird Club at its Oct meeting that renovations had been made to the tower and 
evidently cell phone relay 
equipment had been installed.

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN

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