Five days of much-needed rain helped bring about an early end to spring wildfire season in Virginia, according to officials at the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF).

According to a department press release, since Jan. 1, the VDOF has suppressed 411 wildfires that burned a total of 6,273 acres.

“We had some large fires during the month of April,” said John aaaMiller, VDOF’s director of fire and emergency response. “The largest fire this year was the aGaaoshen Pass wildfire that burned more than 3,000 acres and took nearly 10 days to extinguish.”

“While battling the 411 wildfires, VDOF firefighters protected 2,575 homes and other structures that were at risk. People burning yard debris and trash caused the largest percentage of these wildfires, and the second leading cause was arson,” officials said. “Woods arson is a serious crime that puts people’s lives in danger and their property at great risk,” said Miller.