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The Division of Forestry reports that 315 forest fires burned 891.0 acres of forest land in the 16-county Northern Piedmont District to date for this year. In Rappahannock County, 2 fires have burned 5.0 acres oi forest land. Last year, the firs! five months showed a total ol 468 fires, and these fires burned 1143.0 forested acres in the Northern Piedmont area. This year the fire danger was low during January, but severe conditions occasionally developed through much of March and April. During these months, forest wardens and volunteer fire departments were able to keep the average size of the fire small, even though fires were numerous. The Division of Forestry fire danger weather station, located in Charlottesville, recorded the following rainfall in the first four months of 1969: January, 2.0 inches; February, 2.9 inches March, 2.73 inches; and April 1.75 inches - deficient for all foui months.
The high percentage of the District fires was caused by brush and trash burning. Another majoi cause was smoking; children playing with matches accounted for a large number of fires. Railroads are responsible for at>out 15 percent, as burning carbon, hot metal from brakes,
89.6%