Forest Protection and Fire Prevention
Current Fire Information
Virginia
- Latest Report - updated information
on fires throughout the state.
- Feb. 10, 2008 - Photos | Resources used to fight fires.
- Local Burn Bans and Restrictions
- Fire Danger Rating information.
- KBDI Drought Index
- Weather and Fire Behavior
Regional and National Information
- Southern Area Coordination Center (SACC) mobilizes aircraft, crews, and equipment wildland fires and emergency/disaster relief efforts.
- National Interagency Coordination Center
The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) protects our forest resources from fire. The principle goals of the Forest Protection Program are:
- to prevent injury or loss of human life
- minimize property damage
- protect the forest resources.
Learn more about the VDOF Forest Protection Program.
Fall Wildfire Season in Virginia
October 15 to November 30
Spring Wildfire Season in Virginia
February 15 - April 30
The Virginia Department of Forestry and Smokey Bear thank you for abiding by all burning laws and restrictions.
Fire Safety
- Burn Safely Read and follow these fire safety tips to help you burn safely.
Wildfire
- Learn all about wildfire in Virginia, including the causes of forest fires.
- Wildland firefighting is dangerous work. Follow these safety and logistical essentials.
- This review of the Island Fork Fire describes an incident on which 2 firefighters lost their lives.
Wildfire Prevention
Firewise Virginia - Complete information to make your home, property and community safe from wildfire.
Help make your subdivision firewise by using this sample guideline for subdivision ordinances.
Hot Ash Safety - Wood ashes retain enough heat to ignite other combustible materials for several days.
Holiday Safety:
Halloween:
- Create a Smokey Bear Jack O'Lantern with this stencil and instructions (English;
- Halloween Safety Tips (English; PDF format)
- Halloween Safety Tips (Spanish; PDF format)
- "Trick or Treat" Poster and Halloween Safety Card from FireWise (English; PDF format).
- Christmas and Hanukah
Wildfire Education
All About Smokey Bear Coloring sheet: July 4 Safety with Smokey Bear (English; Word format)
Get started in Prevention Education
Wildfire Prevention Education for
teachers.
Southwestern Virginia Interagency Fire Prevention
Education Team
Learn about our Prevention & Education workshops!
Programs and Training
- Dry Hydrants - Learn how fire departments use these non-pressurized pipe systems to refill their tank trucks.
Training and Workshops
- Visit our Training and Calendar pages to see upcoming events.
- Did you attend one of our Wildland Fire Training Academies? Visit our training academy page.
Prescribed Fire and Smoke Management
- Prescribed Burning Program - prevent fires by managing the forest "fuel" supply. Also provides information on laws, and certification.
- Prescribed Burns In Eastern Mixed-oak Forests from FireScience.gov (English; PDF format)
Volunteer Fire Department Information
- Federal Excess Property Program. The Federal Excess Property Program (FEPP) permits the no-cost LOAN of equipment to rural Volunteer Fire Departments (VFDs).
- Safety Refresher presentation (English; PowerPoint format; 12MB)
- Grants:
- Virginia Firefighter Assistance and Dry Hydrant Grants - see Financial Assistance and Incentives.
Presentations
Certified Burn Manager Presentations
All presentations are in Microsoft PowerPoint format; this software or a viewer is required.
- Fire Behavior (23MB)
- Chemistry of Fire and Smoke (10MB)
- Fire Effects II (35MB)
- Prescribed Fire in Resource Management and Fire Effects on Vegetation (35MB)
- Environmental Effects: soil, water and air quality (13MB)
- Fire Weather Meteorologist (8MB)
- Wildfire Suppression (27MB)
- A Landowner's View (93MB)
- Safety as a Value
- Superfog (10MB)
- Benefits of Prescribed Burning for Wildlife
National Guard Training
- Wildland Fire Suppresion (27MB)
Emergencies - Prepare and Respond
- Evacuate! During a wildfire or other emergency, have an evacuation plan to keep safe.
- Prepare Your Trees for a Storm. Prevention tips and guidelines for hiring an arborist.
- Learn what VDOF does during an emergency and what you can do to prepare for one.
- Hurricane Isabel - Learn about VDOF's efforts during this disaster.
Hurricane Information
- National Hurricane Center - Tropical Prediction Center
- Tropical Information - From the Weather Underground.
- Interactive Hurricane Tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Laws
- 4 p.m. Burn Law from the Code of Virginia. l Certified Prescribed Burn Manager exemption from the 4 p.m. Burn Law (due Feb. 1) l Code of Virginia
Additional resources
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Publications
- Presentations
- Links to Partner agencies, organizations and state forestry agencies.
Last modified: Wednesday, 28-Oct-2009 16:35:00 EDT