By Megan Shaw
To cut down on spring wildfires, the state has long had a law prohibiting open-air fires before 4 p.m. between Feb. 15 and April 30. But the Virginia Department of Forestry has already responded to 166 fires since January, affecting almost 2,000 acres. The Lexington Fire Department and the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office are not too concerned with illegal burning in the area, but say precautions still must be taken to ensure that citizens abide by the law.