The search widens in Shenandoah National Park for Nicole Mittendorff, a missing Fairfax County Fire and Rescue firefighter.

Fairfax County Fire Chief Richard Bowers speaks about missing firefighter/paramedic Nicole Mittendorff while surrounded by fire officials Tuesday morning at the fire station where she works in Burke, Virginia. Mittendorff was reported missing Friday. Her car was found in a remote parking lot in the Madison County portion of the Shenandoah National Park -more than 70 miles from her Woodbridge home. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli) WTOP/Nick Iannelli A Virginia State Police recovery team helping in the search for Nicole Mittendorff reunites Monday at the trail entrance in the Shenandoah National Park. (Courtesy Virginia State Police) Virginia State Police The National Park Service has closed five areas in Shenandoah National Park, in the search for Nicole Mittendorff in the area of the Whiteoak Canyon Trail. (Courtesy National Park Service) National Park Service Members of the Appalachian Search & Rescue Team help Virginia State Police looking for 31-year-old Nicole Mittendorff Monday in Shenandoah National Park. (Courtesy Virginia State Police) Virginia State Police Search and rescue teams pause for water, while trying to locate Nicole Mittendorff in the Shenandoah National Park Monday. (Courtesy Virginia State Police) Virginia State Police The search for Nicole Mittendorff began Saturday in Shenandoah National Park. Her car was found near this entrance to the Whiteoak Canyon Trail in Madison County. (Courtesy Virginia State Police) Virginia State Police Mittendorff’s Mini Cooper (seen here in an earlier photo) was discovered Saturday in the Shenandoah National Park in a remote parking lot near the entrance to the Whiteoak Canyon Trail in Madison County. (Courtesy Virginia State Police) Virginia State Police Nicole Clardy Mittendorff, 31, is a career firefighter with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue. Her family last heard from her Wednesday and she was reported missing Friday, April 15, 2016. (Courtesy Virginia State Police) Virginia State Police ( 1 /8) Share This Gallery: Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Share via email. Print.

WASHINGTON — As the search widens in Shenandoah National Park for a missing Fairfax County firefighter, her husband has tearfully expressed love for his wife, and hopes for her safe return.

“Sweetheart, I love you, and I’m praying for you,” said Steven Mittendorff, during a news conference Tuesday morning at the Fairfax County firehouse where 31-year-old Nicole Clardy Mittendorff works. “I’m not sure where you are, but know we are looking for you, and I look forward to your safe return.”

The National Park Service has closed more areas in the Whiteoak Canyon area of the park — Limberlost, Whiteoak Canyon Fire Road, Crescent Rocks, Cedar Run, Cedar Run Link Trail and the Skyland to Big Meadows Horse Trail — as the search for the career firefighter/paramedic, who was last heard from Wednesday, continued.

Initially the search was located near the Whiteoak Canyon Trail, near where Nicole Mittendorff’s cream-colored Mini Cooper was found Saturday in a remote parking lot in the Madison County portion of the park.

“Expanding the search is a natural progression,” Corinne Geller, spokeswoman for the Virginia State Police, told WTOP. “The park is huge — it’s a mountain.”

Approximately 100 federal, state and volunteer search and rescue teams have been searching for Mittendorff in a section of the park that lies more than 70 miles from her Woodbridge, Virginia, home.

Geller said the Mini Cooper, which was located by a park ranger, has been removed “and is being processed for potential evidence about what brought her to the park.”

Geller would not say whether anything found in Mittendorff’s car would indicate where she was heading or what could have happened to her.

“There is still no evidence to indicate anything suspicious about Mittendorff’s disappearance,” Geller said. “This is a missing person investigation.”

Steve Mittendorff, choking back emotion, spoke to reporters for the first time since his wife was reported missing last week.

“As you can imagine, the pain of not knowing where a loved one is can be unbearable,” he said.

Mittendorff thanked agencies and individuals who have been searching for his wife, and made a request of the media.

“I ask that you not focus on the face of a worried husband or family members, but that you focus on broadcasting her picture, and telling her story, so that someone who has not seen the coverage, will,” he said.

Geller would not say whether Nicole Mittendorff might want to disappear without telling anyone.

Fairfax County Fire Chief Richard Bowers issued a plea to the public, asking anyone with any information that could help with the search to contact Virginia State Police. But he also had a message for the missing firefighter/paramedic.

“Nicole, if you can hear us, please get a message to us, by any means, right away,” Bowers said.

On Monday evening, St. Paul United Methodist Church in Woodbridge held a prayer vigil for Mittendorff.

Anyone with information about Mittendorff’s whereabouts can contact the Virginia State Police by phone at 703-803-0026 or send an email to questions@vsp.virginia.gov.

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WTOP’s Nick Iannelli contributed to this report from Burke, Virginia.

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