Before the fire, Virginia Department of Forestry officials and park volunteers meet up in the parking lot in mid-afternoon. Signs are placed along Route 743 (Earlysville Road) to inform passing motorists that a controlled burn is in progress and the local fire and police departments are notified.
A little after 4p.m., ICF Director Dede Smith starts the controlled burn at the west end of south field as ICF President (and VDOF Forester) John Scrivani supervises. The perimeter of the burn area had been plowed by Albemarle County Parks and Recreation to serve as a fire safety buffer from the neighboring woods.
While some of the participants carry torches to maintain a continuous burn of the field, others with rakes monitor the perimeter of the fire as it progresses.
Other participants are equipped with backpack fire extinguishers, but the fire safety buffer does its job and keeps the fire contained within the planned area (photo by Dede Smith).
Flames rise and smoke billows as the burn gets going.
The webmaster photographs the fire (photo by Dede Smith).
The fire continues to the eastern half of the field. By 6p.m. the burn is over, Forestry officials have examined the field to ensure that all flames are extinguished, and another successful burn is complete.
March 29, 2002: The day after the burn, most of the field is black. But in following days and weeks it turns green as the grass returns and rains wash away the soot.
May 14, 2002: By mid-May the field is lush with grass again.
