The rain dousing Northern Virginia recently provided a relief to firefighters, but preparations for more wildfires are under way in a drought-laden state that has seen a marked rise in large blazes over 2006.

“It's obviously incredibly dry and the rain we're getting isn't going to pull us out,” Loudoun County Forrester Bret Robinson said. “The way we're heading, this fall is going to be a very active fire season.”

The number of wildfires statewide tripled this summer to 169 and the flames consumed 970 acres, up from 192 acres a year ago, the Virginia Department of Forestry reported.

Loudoun County Chief Fire Marshal Keith Brower is considering extending the current ban on fires into September unless steady rains begin to offset months of dry weather, said Capt. Jan Mitchell with the Loudoun County Fire Marshal's Office.

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“We're seeing a lot more mulch fires than we have in the past,” she said. “If we can just continue to get some rain, hopefully we won't have to extend the burn ban."

While Northern Virginia has been less affected than other parts of the state, Loudoun County Forester Robinson said firefighters are facing an increase in significant wildfires.

“We’ve had our share,” he said, noting the number of reported blazes of more than an acre has climbed from six in 2006 to 10 this year.

dgenz@dcexaminer.com