Brush fires disrupted Central Virginia this past weekend, including Albemarle County. The Newsplex reports that on Friday, a brush fire ignited near the Fifth Street westbound ramp of I-64, forcing the closure of the interstate ramp. Fires on Browns Gap Turnpike and Esmont Road were also reported.
Lee Catlin, county spokesperson, told reporters in a Sunday e-mail that the Esmont Road fire was contained at 100 acres.
A Ragged Mountain fire was 80 percent contained on Sunday at 1pm, according to the Department of Forestry. Catlin says that while the cause of the fire is still unknown and under investigation, the area affected is in the hundreds of acres.
Catlin also says that the “unusually large brush fires” caused most of the volunteer fire and emergency personnel to be on the scene. “Every station, including the city, has either sent personnel directly to the scenes or has transferred apparatus and/or personnel to other stations to plug coverage gaps,” she writes.
According to fire officials, more than 100 fires were reported and fought by fire personnel across the state.
