Photo via Virginia State Parks : Tent camping at Douthat State Park
New site-specific reservation system gives visitors full range of options
Virginia State Parks is accepting campsite reservations for the upcoming camping season. Twenty-nine of the 41 state parks offer camping.
Managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia State Parks offers more than 1,800 campsites, with options ranging from primitive camping to RV sites with electric and water hookups.
While full-service campgrounds at Douthat, Hungry Mother, Pocahontas and Shenandoah River are open year-round, all other campsites close on the first Monday in December.
New this year, all parks with campgrounds now offer site-specific reservations for campsites. The site-specific reservation system allows a camper to view an interactive map and choose an available site to reserve. This system replaces the first-come, first-served policy that previously existed for most campgrounds.
Reservations are recommended and can be made as far as 11 months in advance or up to 2 p.m. on the day of arrival at nearly all locations. Visitors may book online at www.virginiastateparks.gov, or by calling the Customer Service Center at 800-933-7275 and choosing option 5.
Highway work requiring road/lane/structure closures is planned; however,workmay be delayed/canceled due to weather or other issues. Items in italics contain new/updated information. For up-to-date information, call 511 or visit www.511Virginia.org.
District-wide activities:
Crews will perform various activities throughout the district to include, but are not limited to bridge & guardrail maintenance, brush/tree/limb cutting, pothole/surface/shoulder work, surface treatment operations, work orders, mowing, boom axing, drainage repairs/work and roadside cleanup.
Work at specific locations:
Amherst County:
Route 682 Woody’s Lake Road Madison Heights – Starting Jan 10 with an expected completion date of Dec 15, 2022. Expect lane closures, delays, rough road. Signs and flaggers to direct traffic.
Please note districtwide activities above.
Appomattox County:
Route 667 – Road closing. Motorists should expect delays due to a culvert replacement project. Route 667 (Hummingbird Lane) will be temporarily closed from Route 608 (Stonewall Road) to Route 668 (Little Dogwood Road). Road closure is scheduled to begin February 07, 2022 and is planned until March 11, 2022.
Please note districtwide activities above.
Buckingham County:
Route 644 – Road closing. Motorists should expect delays due to a bridge rehab project on Route 644 in Buckingham County. Route 644 (Bridge Road) will be temporarily closed from Route 24 (Mt. Rush Hwy) to Route 638 (Dixie Hill Road). Road closure is scheduled to begin March 28, 2022 and is planned until May 06, 2022.
Route 665 – Road closing. Motorists should expect delays due to a culvert replacement project. Route 665 (Fanny White Road) will be temporarily closed from Route 631 (Troublesome Creek Road) to Route 60 (James Anderson Hwy). Road closure is scheduled to begin February 14, 2022 and is planned until March 11, 2022.
Route 743, Shady Oaks Road – Cul-de-sac work.
Please note districtwide activities above.
Campbell County:
Route 29 N over NSRR, near airport –Bridge and approach work; est. comp. May 2023.
Route 633 – Road closing. Motorists should expect delays due to a culvert replacement project on Route 633 in Campbell County. Route 633 (Goat Island Road) will be temporarily closed from Route 761 (Long Island Road) to Route 703 (Mohawk Road). Road closure is scheduled to begin March 14th, 2022 and is planned until April 22nd, 2022.
Please note districtwide activities above.
Charlotte County:
Please note districtwide activities above.
Cumberland County:
Route 621 over Appomattox River – Bridge replacement. Fixed completion – November 2022.
Please note districtwide activities above.
Halifax County:
Routes 501 & 610 – Passing lane project. Use caution during changing road conditions & traffic patterns. 35 mphat all times during construction. Route 610 connections to 501 closed; one-way detour via Route 610/643 estimated to begin Oct. Fixed completion- May 5, 2023.
Route 671 – Road closing. Motorists should expect delays due to emergency bridge repairs on Route 671 in Halifax County. Route 671 (Jones Ferry Road) will be temporarily closed to thru traffic from Route 659 (River Road), to the intersection of Route 679 (Union Grove Road). Route 671 closure and repair work has been delayed until February 14th.
Please note districtwide activities above.
Lynchburg:
Route 29/460 (Campbell Ave–Concord Turnpike) – Bridge replacement. Northbound 29/eastbound 460 speed limit 45 mph. Lane closures changes in traffic pattern are likely. Completion July 31, 2023.
Nelson County:
Please note districtwide activities above.
Pittsylvania County:
Route 689 – Road closing. Motorists should expect delays due to superstructure replacement on Route 689 in Pittsylvania County. Route 689 (Strader Road) will be temporarily closed to thru traffic from Route 649 (Payneton Road), to the intersection of Route 691 (Mill Creek Road). This section of Route 689 will be closed 03/07/2022 – 04/01/2022.
“At approximately 6 o-clock this evening (Wednesday 3.2.22) the missing hiker was found. She sustained minor injuries.
Over 20 Wintergreen residents showed up immediately to help searching. Citizen volunteer searchers located the hiker.
Almost all Wintergreen trails, as well as the Old Appalachian and Current Appalachian Trail were searched from Reeds Gap to Humpback Rocks. In total, the event lasted 8 hours and involved roughly 80 responders.
Special thanks to Wilson Volunteer Fire Department, Wintergreen Road Maintenance, and Virginia Department of Emergency Management for assisting Wintergreen Police, Fire, and Rescue on this call.“
Previous original release
Wintergreen Emergency Management teams are searching for a lost hiker. The hiker has been missing since mid morning. She may not be fully aware of her surroundings or sense of direction.
If you are at Wintergreen, and you are used to hiking our difficult trails, we would love to have your help. Please report immediately to our command post on Laurel Springs Drive at the helicopter landing zone.
Bring water, food, and a flashlight, as well as appropriate clothing for the assignment. We will issue an update when she is found.
2008 Blue Ridge Life Magazine : Appalachia Star Farm seen in this file photo was part of the rural but changing landscape of Nelson. A traveling exhibition here in Lovingston, by the Smithsonian, from mid March until mid April will highlight the changing landscape of rural America.
Washington DC / Nelson County, VA
Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Highlighting Changing
Landscape of Rural America Coming to Nelson County
The Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street, in cooperation with Virginia Humanities and Virginia Association of Museums, presents “Crossroads: Change in Rural America.” The exhibition examining the evolving landscape of rural American opens at the Nelson Memorial Library on March 12, 2022. “Crossroads” will be on view through April 17, 2022 during regular Library hours, except for special Smithsonian Sunday hours on March 20, 2022 from 3:30 – 5:30 pm.
Nelson County has been expressly chosen by the Virginia Humanities and Virginia Association of Museums to host “Crossroads” as part of the Museum on Main Street program—a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations. The exhibition will tour six communities in Virginia from October 28, 2021 through June 5, 2022. Nelson County created a website for the six Virginia communities: https://virginialovesmuseumsonmainstreet.com/nelson-memorial-library-nelson-historical-society/
“Crossroads” explores how rural American communities changed in the 20th century. From sea to shining sea, the vast majority of the United States landscape remains rural with only 3.5% of the landmass considered urban. Since 1900, the percentage of Americans living in rural areas dropped from 60% to 17%. The exhibition looks at that remarkable societal change and how rural Americans responded.
Americans have relied on rural crossroads for generations. These places where people gather to exchange goods, services and culture and to engage in political and community discussions are an important part of our cultural fabric. Despite the massive economic and demographic impacts brought on by these changes, America’s small towns continue to creatively focus on new opportunities for growth and development.
“‘Crossroads’ allows us to reflect on Nelson County’s history, present and future and we are excited to explore what the future may hold for our community,” said Maureen Kelley, Nelson County Director of Economic Development and Tourism. “We want to convene conversations about what makes our community unique and have developed local exhibitions and public programs to complement the Smithsonian exhibition.” Such free events include exhibits at Oakland Museum, tour of historic caboose at the Virginia Blue Ridge Railway Trail and accessible tours of the Blue Ridge Tunnel and Historical Society programs on Navigating American History with Ed Ayers, photo scanning event, Nelson County Schools and Rural Electrification and Broadband. Other events include tours of the Vietnam War and Foreign Conflicts Museum and Raceside Market at Woodson’s Mill. The Nelson County Schools have been active participants, creating complimentary exhibits on oral histories from County residents, scrapbooks, a music video and an art/photography exhibit. Current event information can be found at https://www.nelsoncounty.com/museum-on-main-street/
Designed for small-town museums, libraries and cultural organizations, “Crossroads” will serve as a community meeting place for conversations about how rural America has changed. With the support and guidance of state humanities councils, these towns will develop complementary exhibits, host public programs and facilitate educational initiatives to raise people’s understanding about their own history, the joys and challenges of living rural, how change has impacted their community, and prompt discussion of goals for the future.
The exhibition is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more about “Crossroads” and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit www.museumonmainstreet.org.
Support for MoMS has been provided by the U.S. Congress, Virginia Humanities and Virginia Association of Museums.
SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. For exhibition description and tour schedules, visit https://www.nelsoncounty.com/museum-on-main-street/
Designed for small-town museums, libraries and cultural organizations, “Crossroads” will serve as a community meeting place for conversations about how rural America has changed. With the support and guidance of state humanities councils, these towns will develop complementary exhibits, host public programs and facilitate educational initiatives to raise people’s understanding about their own history, the joys and challenges of living rural, how change has impacted their community, and prompt discussion of goals for the future.
The exhibition is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more about “Crossroads” and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit www.museumonmainstreet.org.
Support for MoMS has been provided by the U.S. Congress, Virginia Humanities and Virginia Association of Museums.
SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. For exhibition description and tour schedules, visit www.sites.si.edu.
March 12 – April 17, 2022
Nelson Memorial Library
8521 Thomas Nelson Highway, Lovingston VA 22949
Exhibit Hours:
Monday – Tuesday: 9:30 am – 7 pm
Wednesday – Thursday – Friday: 9:30 am – 5 pm
Saturday: 9:30 am – 4 pm
Sunday – Closed – Special Sunday Tour March 20, 3:30 – 5:30 pm
For more information, contact Nelson County Tourism at info@nelsoncounty.org or 434-263-7015
Traffic will detour using Goodloe Lane and Old Turnpike Road, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
VDOT CULPEPER DISTRICT
Route 151 (Critzer Shop Road) in northwestern Nelson County will be closed overnight on Wednesday just south of its intersection with U.S. 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike). The closure will complete the installation of three temporary stream diversion pipes for the roundabout project at the intersection.
Route 151 will close to traffic between U.S. 250 and Route 803 (Goodloe Lane) from 6 p.m. Wednesday until 6 a.m. Thursday. During the detour, flaggers and signs will direct motorists onto Goodloe Lane and Route 795 (Old Turnpike Road). The traffic will alternate directions with flow controlled by the flaggers. The flaggers will give emergency vehicles priority along the detour route.
Road conditions and other real-time travel information can be found on the 511 Virginia website, the free VDOT 511 mobile app or by calling 511 from any phone in Virginia. VDOT updates are also on Facebook and the Culpeper District’s Twitter account, @VaDOTCulp.
Via NWS : Wind advisories in effect Saturday afternoon across parts of the Blue Ridge along with an increased risk of wildfires. Click on our alerts page (here) for latest updates across the region.
WIND ADVISORY
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
147 AM EST Sat Feb 19 2022
Augusta-Rockingham-Shenandoah-Page-Warren-
Northern Virginia Blue Ridge-Central Virginia Blue Ridge-
Including the cities of Staunton, Waynesboro, Stuarts Draft,
Harrisonburg, Strasburg, Woodstock, Mount Jackson, New Market,
Luray, Shenandoah, Stanley, Front Royal, Big Meadows,
and Wintergreen
147 AM EST Sat Feb 19 2022
…WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM EST
THIS EVENING…
* WHAT…Northwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph, mainly for elevations above 1500 feet.
* WHERE…Central Virginia Blue Ridge and Northern Virginia Blue
Ridge, and Page, Augusta, Shenandoah, Rockingham and Warren
Counties.
* WHEN…From noon today to 7 PM EST this evening.
* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects.
Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may
result.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high
profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
250 AM EST Sat Feb 19 2022
Ashe-Alleghany NC-Watauga-Bland-Giles-Wythe-Pulaski-Montgomery-
Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Craig-Alleghany VA-Bath-Roanoke-Botetourt- Rockbridge-Bedford-Amherst-Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier-
Including the cities of West Jefferson, Sparta, Boone, Bland,
Pearisburg, Wytheville, Radford, Pulaski, Blacksburg,
Independence, Whitetop, Troutdale, Volney, Galax, Floyd,
New Castle, Clifton Forge, Covington, Hot Springs, Roanoke,
Salem, Fincastle, Lexington, Buena Vista, Bedford, Amherst,
Lewisburg, White Sulphur Springs, Alderson, Quinwood, Duo,
and Rainelle
250 AM EST Sat Feb 19 2022
…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM EST
THIS EVENING…
* WHAT…West winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph
expected.
* WHERE…Portions of southwest Virginia, northwest North
Carolina and southeast West Virginia.
* WHEN…From 11 AM this morning to 6 PM EST this evening.
* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree
limbs and weaker trees could be blown down and a few power
outages may result.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
643 AM EST Sat Feb 19 2022
District of Columbia-Frederick MD-Carroll-Northern Baltimore-
Cecil-Southern Baltimore-Prince Georges-Anne Arundel-Charles-
St. Marys-Calvert-Northwest Montgomery-
Central and Southeast Montgomery-Northwest Howard-
Central and Southeast Howard-Northwest Harford-Southeast Harford- Nelson-Albemarle-Greene-Madison-Rappahannock-Orange-Culpeper-
Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park-Fairfax-
Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-Stafford-Spotsylvania-
King George-Northern Fauquier-Southern Fauquier-Western Loudoun-
Eastern Loudoun-Northern Virginia Blue Ridge-
Central Virginia Blue Ridge–
Including the cities of Washington, Frederick, Ballenger Creek,
Eldersburg, Westminster, Reisterstown, Cockeysville, Elkton,
Baltimore, Bowie, Suitland-Silver Hill, Clinton, College Park,
Greenbelt, Laurel, Camp Springs, Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Severn,
South Gate, Severna Park, Arnold, Odenton, St. Charles, Waldorf,
Lexington Park, California, Chesapeake Beach, Huntingtown,
Dunkirk, North Beach, Lusby, Prince Frederick, Germantown,
Damascus, Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring,
Lisbon, Columbia, Ellicott City, Jarrettsville, Aberdeen,
Lovingston, Charlottesville, Stanardsville, Madison, Orange,
Gordonsville, Culpeper, Dale City, Manassas, Woodbridge,
Lake Ridge, Montclair, Reston, Herndon, Annandale, Centreville,
Chantilly, McLean, Franconia, Arlington, Alexandria,
Falls Church, Falmouth, Fredericksburg, Dahlgren, Warrenton,
Turnbull, Purcellville, Leesburg, Ashburn, Sterling, Big Meadows,
and Wintergreen
643 AM EST Sat Feb 19 2022
…INCREASED FIRE DANGER IS EXPECTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON…
Gusty winds are expected this afternoon across much of the area.
Low relative humidities are forecast during this time as well,
with values below 30 percent. While some areas had rain in the
last 24 to 48 hours, windy conditions and low humidity on Friday
will have dried out fuels across the area. All of these factors
combined will result in an elevated risk for the spread of fires
this afternoon.
Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged during this time. Please
refer to your local burn permitting authority on whether you can
burn. If you do burn, use extreme caution and ensure fire
suppression is readily available.
Via NWS : Some parts of the Central Virginia Blue Ridge are at an increased risk if fire on Saturday. Click the image above to see the latest alerts from NWS.
INCREASED FIRE DANGER IS EXPECTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
152 PM EST Fri Feb 18 2022
District of Columbia-Frederick MD-Carroll-Northern Baltimore-
Cecil-Southern Baltimore-Prince Georges-Anne Arundel-Charles-
St. Marys-Calvert-Northwest Montgomery-
Central and Southeast Montgomery-Northwest Howard-
Central and Southeast Howard-Northwest Harford-Southeast Harford-
Nelson-Albemarle-Greene-Madison-Rappahannock-Orange-Culpeper-
Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park-Fairfax-
Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-Stafford-Spotsylvania-
King George-Northern Fauquier-Southern Fauquier-Western Loudoun-
Eastern Loudoun-Northern Virginia Blue Ridge-
Central Virginia Blue Ridge-
Including the cities of Washington, Frederick, Ballenger Creek,
Eldersburg, Westminster, Reisterstown, Cockeysville, Elkton,
Baltimore, Bowie, Suitland-Silver Hill, Clinton, College Park,
Greenbelt, Laurel, Camp Springs, Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Severn,
South Gate, Severna Park, Arnold, Odenton, St. Charles, Waldorf,
Lexington Park, California, Chesapeake Beach, Huntingtown,
Dunkirk, North Beach, Lusby, Prince Frederick, Germantown,
Damascus, Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring,
Lisbon, Columbia, Ellicott City, Jarrettsville, Aberdeen,
Lovingston, Charlottesville, Stanardsville, Madison, Orange,
Gordonsville, Culpeper, Dale City, Manassas, Woodbridge,
Lake Ridge, Montclair, Reston, Herndon, Annandale, Centreville,
Chantilly, McLean, Franconia, Arlington, Alexandria,
Falls Church, Falmouth, Fredericksburg, Dahlgren, Warrenton,
Turnbull, Purcellville, Leesburg, Ashburn, Sterling, Big Meadows,
and Wintergreen
152 PM EST Fri Feb 18 2022
...INCREASED FIRE DANGER IS EXPECTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON...
Gusty winds are expected Saturday afternoon across much of the
area. Low relative humidities are forecast during this time as
well, with values below 30 percent. While some areas had rain in
the last 24 hours, windy conditions and low humidity on Friday
will have dried out fuels across the area. All of these factors
combined will result in an elevated risk for the spread of fires
Saturday afternoon.
Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged during this time. Please
refer to tour local burn permitting authority on whether you can
burn. If you do burn, use extreme caution and ensure fire
suppression is readily available.
“After 24 years of exceptionally dedicated service, Nelson County Administrator, Stephen Carter will be retiring as of July 31, 2022.
“During his tenure, Mr. Carter has worked tirelessly on behalf of the Board of Supervisors and the County’s citizens, for which the Board is eternally grateful”, says Board of Supervisors Chair, Jesse Rutherford.
Mr. Carter began his employment as County Administrator in August of 1998 and has dedicated himself to the betterment of the County ever since. A few of the many initiatives completed during his time as Administrator include: Construction of two elementary schools and Middle school and renovation of the High School along with ongoing significant funding for Nelson County Public Schools, implementation of the Countywide 911 Street Address/Signage program, Construction of a new judicial and law enforcement wing and renovation of the existing Courthouse spaces to comply with current security and technology standards; Construction of the Piney River Water & Sewer project, Completion of the Blue Ridge Railway Trail, including restoration of a Historic Depot Building, Completion of the Nelson Memorial Library addition and renovation project, Facilitation of a significant grant to expand the Blue Ridge Medical Center; providing for a dental clinic, facilitation of a significant grant to rehabilitate the Old Ryan Elementary School into apartments, Facilitation of the establishment of the Lovingston, Schuyler, Afton-Greenwood, South Rockfish Valley, and Norwood-Wingina Historic Districts, Construction and opening of the Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail as a regional attraction, working for 20+ years to obtain grants to complete the project, Facilitation of high speed fiber internet in the County through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Grant funding, which primarily funded the construction of a middle mile fiber backbone network including several towers for wireless internet deployment in unserved and underserved areas of the County, Fostering of the County’s flourishing tourism industry, making the County less reliant on property tax revenues, Establishment of the County’s Parks and Recreation Department, Establishment of Nelson County as the first Virginia Tourism Corporation accredited rural tourism program in the Commonwealth, Implementation of a Paid EMS program to supplement the volunteer EMS agencies; increasing service delivery within the County while offsetting costs with a revenue recovery component, Facilitation of ongoing significant funding for Emergency Services vehicles for volunteer fire and EMS agencies, Streamlining of the solid waste & recycling collection system; establishing staffed sites and membership in the Region 2000 Services Authority, Establishment of the Colleen Business Park and other economic development initiatives, Securing VDOT grant funding for multiple highway safety improvement projects, Implementation of significant emergency services radio and microwave system upgrades, Establishment of Nelson County as one of the top fiscally managed counties in VA per the State Auditor of Public Accounts, 2017 Report, The ongoing provision of outstanding leadership during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and Facilitation of the Covid-19 Personal Property and Machinery and Tools Tax Relief initiative, which provided tax relief of $2,905,557 to the citizens and businesses of Nelson County in 2020.
Additionally, Mr. Carter provided exceptional representation of the County on various regional Boards such as: The Region 2000 Services Board, the Albemarle, Charlottesville Regional Jail Board, and the Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development Board.
Board Chair, Jesse Rutherford states “While the Board and the County will miss Mr. Carter’s steadfast leadership tremendously, we hope he enjoys a happy and healthy retirement with his family. A search will begin for his replacement with the Board’s goal being to retain someone of Mr. Carter’s caliber, who will continue to implement the Board’s vision for the County moving forward.”
Photo Via VSP : A tractor trailer came to rest in the trees off the shoulder after a collision on Route 29 SB February 11, 2022. The crash between the semi and a the driver of a Dodge Charger caused a lengthy shutdown of Route 29 and other nearby highways.
Verbatim release from VSP below:
“Virginia State Police Trooper L.G. Pingley is investigating a two-vehicle crash in Nelson County. The crash occurred Feb. 11, 2022 at 1 p.m. on Route 29 less than a mile south of Route 776.
A 2020 Dodge Charger was traveling south on Route 29 when it lost control and ran off the left side of the highway. The Dodge went into the median, became airborne, re-entered the southbound lanes and struck the side of a tractor-trailer. The impact of that crash caused the Dodge to overturn several times and finally come to rest in the median. Meanwhile, the tractor-trailer ran off the right side of the highway and struck several trees.
Photo by VSP : The Dodge Charger involved in the crash came to rest in the median. February 11, 2022
The driver of the Dodge, Sheldon C. Anderson, 34, of Lynchburg, Va., was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the car. He was transported to UVA Medical Center for treatment of serious, but non-life threatening, injuries.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, Richard D. Crowley, 58, of Reidsville, N.C., was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital for treatment of serious, but non-life threatening, injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt.
The crash remains under investigation and charges are pending.
Thanks,
Corinne N. Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police”
Via VDOF : Virginia’s annual Burn Ban takes effect from February 15th until April 30th.
Virginia’s 4 PM Burning Law is in effect from February 15 through April 30 each year. It is important to note that some localities may have even more restrictive regulations on outdoor burning than the state’s 4 PM Burning Law. All burners are encouraged to check with their locality before starting any outdoor burning.
The 4 PM Burning Law bans open-air burning prior to 4:00 p.m. if the fire is within 300 feet of the woods or dry grass which could carry fire to the woods. Burning is allowed between 4:00 p.m. and midnight as long as the burner takes proper precautions and attends the fire at all times.
It is critical that burners take precautions before using fire, as there may be legal and financial implications. Even if a person takes all proper precautions and obtains any locally required permits, whoever started the fire is responsible for suppressions costs should the fire escape. Violation of the 4 PM Burning Law is a Class 3 misdemeanor with a fine of not more than $500.
Reason for the 4 PM Burning Law
Debris burning is the number one cause of wildfires, closely followed by intentionally set or “arson” fires. The 4 PM Burning Law was adopted during the 1940s to reduce the number of wildfires which occurred each spring, when Virginia has traditionally seen an increased number of fires.
Fires are more likely during late winter and early spring because winds are usually elevated, the relative humidity is lower, and the fuels on the forest floor are extremely dry, having “cured” all winter without the shade of tree leaves. After 4:00 p.m., winds usually calm down and the relative humidity levels rise, both of which reduce the potential for a debris fire or any outdoor open-air fire to escape.
Open-Air Burning
The 4 PM Burning Law applies to open-air burning, which means any outdoor fire that is not covered and/or contained within non-flammable barriers.
For example, a typical campfire is considered an open-air fire. However, an open-air fire MAY be acceptable if it meets the following criteria: it is completely contained within a ring of rocks, cinderblocks, metal ring, or a similar device and is covered by a ¼ inch or smaller metal screen.
If these criteria are met, the fire still must be attended at all times, and all flammable material should be cleared from a 20-foot area around the fire. Campers must also have ready access to water, rake and shovel.
Fires built in commercially-available chimineas or fire pits with a ¼-inch or smaller metal screen are not considered open-air fires and are therefore legal, IF they are in good condition to prevent the spread of fire to surrounding areas. Check with local authorities and/or VDOF with any concerns or questions.
Exemptions to the 4 PM Burning Law
This law does not apply to charcoal or gas-fired barbeque grills. Users are still encouraged to take proper care and precaution by clearing all flammable material from around the grill, and stay with it until it is completely extinguished or turned off.
If burning operations are greater than 300 feet from the woods or flammable grass/vegetation that would allow the fire to spread to the woods, the 4 PM Burning Law does not apply. Otherwise, there are few exceptions to the 4 PM Burning Law.
However, Certified Prescribed Burn Managers can apply for exemption permits to complete specific types of burning during the restricted period.
