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Top stories: Brush fire risk, new Deep Creek Bridge, missing soldier found dead in Morocco
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Drought conditions have made brush fires a growing concern in Suffolk and across the Hampton Roads region, prompting a burn ban and a call for caution from fire officials.
Drought fuels busy brush fire season for Suffolk firefighters
A recent brush fire in the city started when a teenager climbed a power line in the downtown area. The line came down, electrocuting the teen and igniting a brush fire. The teen was severely hurt. “That was a human element that caused one acre to burn. That was also pretty horrific for the person involved,” Fire Chief Michael Barakey said.
Amid the growing number of brush fires last month, the city implemented a burn ban, meaning open burning is prohibited. Fire officials are asking people to be cautious. “When they’re mowing their lawns, when they’re riding ATVs, doing outdoor shooting sports — all of these things can start fires,” Fire Marshall Chris Cornwell said.
Hampton Roads has been experiencing a drought this year, and brush fires have been an issue across the region. “This has been a very active year for Suffolk Fire and Rescue. The weather conditions are really conducive for this type of event,” Barakey said. These types of fires can be difficult to battle, as they can be large and grow quickly. “Conditioning, long work periods, and changing conditions make it a very dangerous situation for firefighters,” Barakey said. Fire officials are hoping residents will take steps to help prevent brush fires from occurring. “Be respectful during this time of year,” Barakey said.
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After about three years of construction, the Deep Creek Bridge Replacement Project is hitting a major milestone.
Eastbound traffic on George Washington Highway to start moving across new Deep Creek Bridge
The planned Deep Creek Bridge traffic shift had been postponed until Sunday night due to weather. Eastbound traffic on George Washington Highway is set to travel over the new Deep Creek Bridge. Westbound traffic will continue using the old Deep Creek Bridge…