Henrico Fire officials warn of increased fire risk after 70-acre brush fire in Varina

Henrico Fire officials are citing a brush fire that burned 70 acres in Varina Saturday as evidence that Virginia’s fire season has arrived.

The blaze, which burned land near Deep Bottom Boat Landing, didn’t cause any injuries or damage to structures but was described as a “once-in-a-decade” event by Henrico Fire Battalion Chief Doug Reynolds. Henrico Fire and Virginia Department of Forestry officials brought it under control in about five hours.

The blaze occurred two days after Henrico Fire completed its annual wildland fire training and just four days ahead of the start of Virginia’s fire season, which runs from Feb. 15 to April 30. A burning law that prohibits open-air fires before 4 p.m. is effective during this time.

“An event like what happened in the East End on Saturday is exactly why we train,” Reynolds said. “Henrico firefighters and our partners at Department of Forestry did an excellent job managing this particular fire. It just so happened to be a few days before fire season.”

While Saturday’s blaze was accidental and not caused by an open-air fire, Reynolds said it was a good reminder for residents to familiarize themselves with the burn law.

“When we talk about the burn law, we usually are talking about your large open-air fires of leaves and debris,” he said. “But you should also be mindful of burn barrels, charcoal grills, and campfires. Never leave a fire unattended.”

Even with regulations and precautions in place, Reynolds said sometimes conditions simply favor a fire. “Low humidity, wind, and a lot of dry fuel, like young pine trees in the case of Saturday’s fire,” Reynolds said. “These are the sorts of factors that allow fire to spread fast.”

When Henrico Fire arrived on-scene at 4:26 p.m. on Saturday, fire was spreading quickly through a large and rural area of heavy vegetation. Fire officials requested support from the Virginia Department of Forestry a short time later. The blaze was marked under control at 9:24 p.m., and conditions continued to improve with the arrival of early-morning rain Sunday.

Department of Forestry provided heavy equipment to clear paths so Henrico Fire engines could access the fire. No hydrants were available near the blaze, and crews instead utilized tankers to resupply the engines’ on-board water supply.

“Brush fires aren’t uncommon in Henrico, but they’re also not typically this large,” Reynolds said. “I’d say this was a once-in-a-decade event.”