Virginia's spring fire season has started and the Virginia Department of Forestry is busy making sure they're ready.
The department responds to more than 1,200 wildfires each year. The majority occur between February and April. Staff members are completing check lists and going over machinery and equipment.
Erik Filep is an Albemarle County forester and said they're also training fire departments on how to battle a wild fire.
"They don't often get exposed to these wildfires except for this time of year so it's important to get them use to the concept of fighting a fire that not only moves but can be very large in scale," Filep said.
Starting Wednesday, burning is only allowed from 4 p.m. to midnight. Dry conditions and high winds contribute to fires getting out of control.
