2024 Virginia wildfires

Last updated

2024 Virginia wildfires
Statistics
Total fires411+
Total area56,372 acres
Impacts
Structures destroyed57 (including 29 houses)

The 2024 Virginia wildfire season was a series of wildfires that burned throughout the U.S. state of Virginia.

Contents

Background

Spring Fire Season

The spring fire season generally runs from February 15 to April 30. During this time, vegetation remains dormant and dry from winter, while increasing warmth and strong winds contribute to rapid fire spread. Virginia enforces its “4 PM Burning Law”—which prohibits outdoor burning before 4:00 p.m.—throughout this period to reduce ignition risks and capitalize on the cooler, more humid late afternoon conditions. [1] [2] [3]

Fall Fire Season

The fall fire season typically spans mid-October to late November, when frost-killed undergrowth and fallen leaves serve as highly flammable surface fuels. Dry, breezy autumn days further enhance the risk of wildfire ignition and rapid progression. [4]

Year-Round Risk

Wildfires in Virginia can occur year-round, but are most frequent during these two peak periods. The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) attributes the majority of wildfires to escaped debris burning, and emphasizes public adherence to safe burning practices and local burn restrictions to prevent human-caused incidents. [5]

Climate trends are further exacerbating wildfire risk. Rising average temperatures and extended periods of low humidity are increasing the frequency of “fire weather” days, especially in northern and western Virginia. These changing conditions are drying fuels more quickly and intensifying both spring and fall fire seasons. [6]

Summary

During the 2024 Spring wildfire season between February 15 to April 30, at least 411 wildfires burnt "nearly 20,000 acres", the largest area burned in the last 30 years in that time period, and nearly ten times as much as the 2023 Spring season with 2,174 acres. Factors that exacerbated wildfires in 2024 included "extended dry spells and persistent winds". [7]

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or produced significant structural damage or casualties.

NameCountyAcresStart dateContainment date ontainmented date [a] NotesRef
211 West Shenandoah and Page 6,399March 20March 27Part of the 2024 North Area Complex with the Capon/Brush Run Fire, the Waites Run Fire, the Edith Gap/Serenity Ridge Fire, and the Cove Mountain Fire. [9] [10]
Brushy Run Rockingham 6,223March 20March 27Part of the 2024 North Area Complex. [9] [7]
Rocky BranchPage1,031March 20April 3Estimated cost: $400,000 [11]
2024 Virginia wildfires
Perimeters of 2024 Virginia wildfires (map data)

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out. [8]

References

  1. ↑ "Fire Season – Virginia Department of Forestry". Virginia Department of Forestry. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Wildfire in Virginia". Virginia Department of Forestry. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  3. ↑ "4 PM Burning Law – Virginia Department of Forestry". Virginia Department of Forestry. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  4. ↑ "All Virginia wildfires except Matt's Creek contained, say officials". Virginia Mercury. November 22, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Wildfire in Virginia". Virginia Department of Forestry. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Addressing the increasing wildfire risk in Virginia". Virginia Climate Center (George Mason University). Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  7. 1 2 Leader, The Daily News. "Capon - Brushy Run Fire". The Daily News Leader. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  8. ↑ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  9. 1 2 "2024 Spruce Creek CO". InciWeb. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Wildfires burn 6,500 acres, Page County hit hardest". WMRA and WEMC. March 22, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Rocky Branch". USA Today. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
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