Virginia fire season is here and with it, the burn law takes effect. This law goes into place every year from Feb. 15 to April 30.
This law bans open-air burning prior to 4 p.m. each day. This is for any open fire that is within 300 feet of the woods or dry grass, which could carry fire to the woods. Open-air burning means any outdoor fire that is not covered or contained within nonflammable barriers.
We have this law in the Commonwealth because of the lower relative humidity and high winds throughout this time of year.
Andy Powers from Martinsville Fire and EMS said this law greatly reduces the number of calls the department receives during peak times.
“In the afternoon when the humidity comes up and the winds die down, it makes it easier to fight those fires and respond. Over here in the city we have several valleys and if a fire gets in to them, we could be fighting those for hours or multiple days,” said Powers.
Most of the leaves and the debris that is on the ground this time of year are dried out. This means it could start burning a lot easier. Fire departments want people to be aware of this and be careful when burning, for your safety and your neighbors.
There are a couple of exemptions to this law. The law does not apply to charcoal or gas-fired barbeque grills. Also, if your fire is greater than 300 feet from the woods or flammable grass, then the burning law does not apply.
“We understand that people are going to be burning, doing outdoor cleaning, cleaning up their yards after the winter storms that we’ve had. So, we are saying if you are gonna burn, make sure you burn according to the law and burn responsibly,” said Fred Turck, the Wildfire Program Manager for Virginia Department of Forestry.
Each locality may have more restrictive regulations on outdoor burning, so all burners are encouraged to check the laws for their area before starting any outdoor fires.
If you don’t take the necessary precautions, there may be legal and financial implications. Violations of the 4 p.m. burning law is a class 3 misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $500.