Ash Heap

The Ash Heap is one of the six regions of Appalachia in 2102.

Background
The Ash Heap was formerly home to industrial sites such as mines and a trainyard that primarily revolved around mineral extraction. The area centers around the excavated mining site of Mount Blair, and can be identified by the layer of soot and ash from unchecked coal mine fires covering the region. The area was dominated by the presence of mining companies such as Atomic Mining Services, Garrahan Mining and Hornwright Industrial. They controlled their own worker's homes, food and ultimately their lives. The land is spread with toxic ash, which was countered by Hornwright Industrial's air purifiers (much like the aerosolizers in the Toxic Valley) that help create a pocket of air in the region. The ash that blankets the region makes it inhospitable to plant and animal life, with only the most rugged flora and fauna able to thrive. The few towns and settlements in the region are filled with the remnants of pre-war worker strikes, with Beckley and Welch being the most ravaged. The area is infested with mole miners, the formerly human mine workers who are now trapped within their mine suits.

Layout
The Ash Heap is in the southwestern portion of the Appalachia map and contains the following locations:

Appearances
The Ash Heap appears only in Fallout 76.

Behind the scenes
The Ash Heap seems to be made to resemble, in shape and culturally, McDowell County, West Virginia. McDowell County had once been the most prominent coal-producing county in the state until a decline in the mid-90s.