Brush Fires Burn More Than 600 Acres in Virginia

Brush fires have burned more than 600 acres in Virginia, the first significant wildfires since a rare February spate of fires scorched more than 8,400 acres.

A fire in Dinwiddie County burned at least 500 acres Monday, while 100 acres were burned in Henry County. That fire was one of four reported in the county.

Except for the fires Feb. 14 and Feb. 19, Virginia’s fire season has been largely uneventful, and the right measure of rain and weather conditions could keep it that way through April, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry.

“If we get some regular rains, at least once a week, that will settle the dust on the spring fire season,” Richard Thomas, assistant director of the department’s firefighting division, said Tuesday.

One of Virginia’s worst fire seasons occurred in 2008, when hundreds of fires across the state burned 16,000 acres.

A wet spring has eased the risk of fires, but a mild winter has countered that somewhat, Thomas said.

The state “dodged a bullet” on Monday because rains helped douse conditions that create a high fire threat — 80-degree temperatures and winds gusting to 50 mph, he said.

Rains have also helped forest areas green, diminishing the threat of fire.

Two firefighters are recovering from smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion suffered while fighting brush fires Monday in Montgomery County.

One fire burned about 10 acres near Virginia Route 8 and Laurel Ridge Mill Road on Monday. Another burned up to 9 acres near Walnut Run in the upper Smith Mountain Lake area.

Henry County Public Safety Director Dale Wagner said high winds and low humidity allowed the flames to spread rapidly.