Wildfires rage across Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina

Wildfires have been burning across Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, resulting in parts of the Appalachian Trail being shut down, according to officials. 

The U.S. Forest Service in North Carolina announced in a Facebook post Friday that part of the trail “from Interstate 40 to Max Patch,” had to be shut down as a result of the "Black Bear Fire" which started on Thursday. 

Interpretive Specialist Claire Comer told The Weather Channel that there are two wildfires currently being suppressed right now. 

“We're ahead of the game on those, thank goodness," she said. "But it's just so dry. So we're definitely asking people who are visiting right now to be super careful with any sort of fire, like cigarettes or that sort of thing.” 

Roughly eight square miles were burned in Washington and Jefferson National Forests as a result of a wildfire there. 

Shenandoah National Park announced that a vehicle fire had spread into the park, resulting in another closure. 

The Weather Channel reports that it is expected to rain next week over the holidays, which will help the situation.