This week Albemarle County reported 19 separate brush fires – three of them significant, and Deputy Fire Chief John Oprandy advises area residents to prepare for future blazes.
“Making sure that you clean the leaves out of your gutters, making sure that you don’t have a lot of dry leaves and vegetation planted around the perimeter of your house, not using mulch right up against a wood frame house, perhaps using other types of non-combustible mulch.” :18
Oprandy says clean up operations will continue today.
“Trees that are still burning, in some cases top to bottom, need to be cut down and extinguished, because as the wind picks up that’s a real easy way for the fire to jump the fire line.” :10
He says more than 250 acres have burned, but rain forecast later today should put an end to any current blazes. For more advice on protecting your home, Oprandy suggests a visit to the website ready.gov.