ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The March 14 fire in the Stony Point area was caused by an open-air burn not properly extinguished, according to the Albemarle County Fire Marshal’s Office. The fire impacted 35 acres and destroyed a barn structure, resulting in a charge against a Charlottesville man for carelessly damaging property by fire. Half of the affected land affected open land, the other half forest land.

Albemarle County Fire Rescue and the Virginia Department of Forestry are asking the community to remember that Virginia’s 4 pm Burning Law is in effect through April 30. In addition to the state code that limits open-air burning to the hours of 4 pm to midnight only, Albemarle County code bans all commercial burns during VDOF’s ban of February 15 to April 30. Albemarle County residents can learn more about safe open-air burning practices by visiting www.albemarle.org/firerescue