Several fires in the past week have kept Abingdon Volunteer Fire and Rescue volunteers extremely busy. The most dangerous of the three fires occurred Saturday around 4 p.m. in Maryus.

AVFR public information officer Robert Parlett said that fire appeared to have started in an area adjacent to Guinea Circle behind the old Maryus Post Office building. "The wind started blowing east (spreading the fire) behind a line of houses on Maryus Road," Parlett said.

The fire ignited quickly, getting caught up in the dry phragmites and, at some points, the flames rose as high as 30 feet, Parlett said.

The fire ended up burning five acres. It melted the siding of one workshop and some embers fell on the roof of another structure, but only burnt a few small holes in the roof. "It was very windy and the fire came very close to a lot of houses," he said.

Three engines, two brush trucks, two tankers and 25 volunteers responded to the scene.

Another brush fire was called ...