LOUISA COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Claire Miller, who has lived on West Old Mountain Road in Louisa County for five years, was evacuated last night after a 450-acre fire broke made it’s way through her backyard.
However, the devastation might have been greater had there not been a makeshift two-foot walkway that prevented the fire from encroaching on her house.
“Wow. It’s really amazing looking at where [the fire] stopped. And I think I have my dogs and children to thank for that, because this path that stops the advent of this wave of the fire was a specific request by my daughter,” said Miller. “I think my daughter probably saved the house.”
Around 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning, Louisa County officials lifted evacuation recommendations in areas that were affected by the fire, which ripped through the areas around West Old Mountain Road and Yanceyville Road.
The fire also ripped through the Twin Oaks Conference Site, also located on West Old Mountain Road. The owners said the fire destroyed their warehouse, woodshop, the conference center and four cars.
“They lost an incredible amount of inventory for their seed business, their hammock business — and then, they lost irreplaceable vintage equipment that they had used to make all sorts of amazing wooden creations for their their hammock business,” Miller said.
The fire also ripped through the backyard of Miller’s neighbor, Jim Adams, who said he saw the fire with his owns eyes — slowly traveling towards his home, which was luckily untouched.
“It feels good to still have a house here. I mean, that’s what it’s all about. Is the luck that we had,” said Adams. “We’ll make it through.”
Officials say the fire is 100% contained but it’s not fully extinguished. They say Louisa residents like Miller and Adams should expect to have smoky conditions with possible flare ups. And if you see a flare up, you’re encouraged to call 9-1-1 immediately.
No other information, including the cause of the fire, is available at this time.
This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.
