Virginia enforces a 4 p.m. burning law during the spring from the major fires that have destroyed its terrain over time from February 15 to April 30.
When the Virginia Department of Forestry noticed an increase in the number of wildfires, the government decided to create the law during the 1940s to reduce the forest fires that constantly occurred in spring.
“During the end of spring time there is more accumulation of biomass of all the leaves and things that have dried out during the fall. The conditions dry out with an increased likelihood of wildfires starting,” environmental studies and oceanography teacher Nicholas DiNapoli said.
Open-air burning before 4 p.m. is prohibited within 300 feet of the woods or dry grass; however, burning is legal between 4 p.m. and 12 a.m., as long as the burner takes the appropriate precautions and always attends to the fire, according to the City of Chesapeake.
Some examples of these precautions include keeping all the potential flammable material at least 20 feet away from the fire, and having easy access to water or a tool to prevent the fire.
During the open-air bonfire at the Ocean Lakes Leadership Workshop 2025, this rule was applied. The bonfire was successfully secured and did not spread to any potential flammable material as the appropriate procedures were taken.
“The surrounding ground of the bonfire was well saturated, and it was also contained and super small,” English teacher Ashley Adams said. “There was also a large bucket of water on standby if needed, with a fire pit ring on the outer edges of the fire, and the logs were stacked properly.”
Moreover, these fires are acceptable if it is contained within a ring of rocks, cinder blocks, metal rings or a smaller device, and must be covered by a metal screen of a one-fourth inch or smaller.
A violation to the law would result in a class 3 misdemeanor with a fine less than $500, depending on the degree.
This law is inapplicable for barbeque grills that use charcoal or are gas-fired as long as they still take proper care and precaution of objects around the grill and always attend the grill.
In general, this law is the backbone of fire prevention in Virginia, and has the potential to affect the safety of the Ocean Lakes community and Virginia as a whole with proper precautions and guidelines.
“It is important because fires can spread at rapid speeds and may inevitably cause many citizens to get severely injured or killed,” freshman Aarav Mantri said.
