CHERRY GROVE, W.Va. — Steep and rocky terrain is slowing progress on putting out a forest fire in the Monongahela National Forest in Pendleton County. The Woodside Fire started Wednesday in the Cherry Grove community, but since then the blaze has widened to about 100 acres and remains only about 30 percent contained.

“We’ve got a dozer line constructed and we’ve got hand crews out there trying to strengthen and reinforce our containment line. This is incredibly steep, mountainous, rocky terrain so it’s definitely hard going,” said Andrea Brandon, Public Information Officer for the Monongahela National Forest.”

Teams from the U.S. Forest Service are working alongside firefighters from the West Virginia Division of Forestry and a number of local volunteer fire departments in Pendleton Coun

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