While Virginia's traditional Spring Wildfire Season and the 4PM Law does not go into effect till next Sunday the 15th this past weekend was a busy one.
Below is the news release followed by several headlines and pictures from the weekend.
News Release
For
Immediate Release VDOF
15004
Contact:
John Campbell 434.220.9070 or 434.989.0665 Feb.
9, 2015
Wildfire
season in Virginia begins Sunday, February 15th.
The
75-day spring wildfire season in the Commonwealth begins Sunday when the 4 p.m.
Burn Law (which allows burning only between 4 p.m. and midnight) goes into
effect. Citizens are reminded to be
extra careful with any open-air fire from now through April 30th.
“Wildfires
in the Commonwealth are very weather dependent,” said State Forester Bettina
Ring. “Low humidity, dry fuels – such as
leaves, grass and tree limbs – and gusty winds are prevalent this time of
year. Even a relatively small fire can
quickly get out of control and spread fast.”
Ring
said that more than 40 percent of the wildfires that occur in Virginia each
year are caused by people burning trash or debris. “It’s the number one cause year in and year
out,” she said. “And these fires
threaten the lives of thousands of Virginians.
Last year alone, more than 2,000 homes and other structures were
protected by the Virginia Department of Forestry’s wildland firefighters.”
According
to VDOF records, more than 95 percent of wildfires in the Commonwealth each
year are caused by humans and, thus, are preventable. The State Forester wants Virginians to know
that there are things they can do to reduce the risk of wildfires.
“The
best thing people can do is to obey the law by not burning trash or debris
before 4 p.m. each day during spring fire season,” Ring said. “Virginia’s 4 p.m. law has been in place since
1940 and is one of the best tools we have for reducing the threat of
wildfires. Because humidity levels
typically increase and wind speeds usually decrease after 4 p.m., the
likelihood of a fire escaping someone’s control is reduced.”
But,
just because you are allowed to burn after 4 p.m., it doesn’t mean that you
should burn on certain days. John
Miller, VDOF’s director of resource protection, said, “If wind speed is in
excess of 20 miles per hour and humidity levels are below 30 percent, please
don’t light a fire. The chances are high
that the fire will escape – and that’s a life safety issue for you, your family
and your neighbors.”
If
conditions are suitable the day you wish to burn, Miller recommends that you:
1. burn in small piles rather than one big pile; 2. clear the area around the
pile down to bare dirt before igniting your fire; 3. don’t add any flammable
material to the fire after midnight; 4. keep a fully charged hose and a shovel
on hand to extinguish any spot fires that ignite away from the burn pile, and
5. dial 9-1-1 as soon as a fire escapes your control.
Starting
a fire before 4 p.m. during spring wildfire season is not only dangerous, it’s
a Class 3 misdemeanor crime – and one that can be very costly. In addition to a fine of not more than $500,
the person responsible for the fire’s escape is financially liable for the cost
of suppressing the fire and for damage caused to another’s property.
“The cost of battling a wildfire that escapes someone’s control
can easily reach thousands of dollars,” Miller said. “And if your fire burns down the neighbor’s
home or barn, you could be liable for hundreds of thousands of dollars for the
property damage. The men and women who
put their lives in danger fighting these wildfires do so in the most safe and
cost-effective way possible, but the costs can be very high, especially if the
fire becomes very large.”
To
learn more about the spring wildfire season, the 4 p.m. Burn Law and
alternatives to debris burning, go to www.dof.virginia.gov .
For
more than 100 years, the Virginia Department of Forestry has protected and developed healthy, sustainable
forest resources for Virginians. Headquartered
in Charlottesville, the Agency has forestry staff members assigned to every
county to provide citizen service and public safety protection across the
Commonwealth. VDOF is an equal
opportunity provider.
With nearly 16 million acres of forestland and more
than 103,000 Virginians employed in forestry, forest products and related
industries, Virginia forests provide more than $17 Billion annually in benefits
to the Commonwealth.
-end-
Midlothian brush fire came close to burning down homes
CHESTERFIELD, VA (WWBT) -
A dangerous brush
fire on Sunday came within inches of homes and power lines in Midlothian.
Sachem's Head
residents said they got out their garden hoses and water buckets to put out
hotspots. All the fires are under control, but Virginia Forestry officials said
the fire in Midlothian had the greatest potential in years to burn down homes
in the area.
Copyright 2015 WWBT NBC12. All rights reserved.
photos by R. Reuse
CHESTERFIELD, Va.– A Waffle House in Chesterfield County was
evacuated when a brush fire got too close to the restaurant Sunday
afternoon.
Crews responded to the fire, which was near the restaurant in the 7300 block of Hull Street Road.
Brush fire on Birdneck Rd. scorches 10 acres
According to District Chief Mike Barakey with the Virginia
Beach Fire Department, crews responded to the Virginia Beach Fire Training
Center in the 900 block of Birdneck Road around 1 p.m. people began reporting
smelling smoke in the area.
