In February Wintergreen Fire & Rescue Chief Sheets (left to right) met on the mountain with Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent J.D. Lee, Director of the U.S. National Park Service David Vela, and U.S. Congressman Denver Riggleman.

There continues to be some progress in creating emergency access onto the Blue Ridge Parkway off of the mountain, reports Wintergreen Fire & Rescue Chief Curtis Sheets, adding that a phone conference he had with government officials on Thursday went well.

There is only one road on and off of Wintergreen mountain. The lack of an alternative way to move residents and guests off the mountain in an emergency if this one-and-only access were to be blocked has been a long-standing and ever-increasing concern of the Wintergreen Property Owners Association.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is part of the U.S Park Service, which is part of the Department of Interior. In February Chief Sheets had a key meeting on the mountain with some of several decision-makers on this issue within the federal government.

"We are further along in the process than ever before and have submitted paperwork for approval," reports Chief Sheets. "We've been especially encouraged by the supportive response from National Park Director Vela and our congressman, Denver Riggleman."