Category: Fire and Emergency Response

Field Notes

Tales from the Fireline

September 7, 2022 - Contributors: Delaney Beattie, VDOF Riparian Buffer Specialist- James River Buffer Program; Chad Briggs, VDOF Forest Technician; Jack Colyer, VDOF Forest Technician; Bill Perry, VDOF Area Forester; Travis Tindell, VDOF Area Forester; compiled by Ellen Powell, VDOF Conservation Education Coordinator   While Virginians enjoyed a fairly normal summer, the national news told of wildfires raging in other parts of the country. Virginia Department of Forestry personnel often provide fire suppression assistance to other states,... Read More

Field Notes
Wildland firefighters in Texasprepare to begin defensive work.

National Wildfire Deployments: A POV

September 2, 2022 - By Kinner Ingram, VDOF Rappahannock Senior Area Forester As a forester for the Virginia Department of Forestry, our phones go off at all times of the day (and night), and we generally never know who it is, unless it’s a weekend or evening. While calls during work hours are generally coworkers or landowners, calls outside of work hours generally lead to some kind of fire response. Those are the calls... Read More

Forester Takes an Acting Gig

August 3, 2022 - By Scott Bachman, VDOF Senior Area Forester, Blackwater Work Area New Kent County, east of Richmond, experienced a rash of suspicious fires the week of July 18. Fortunately, the fires were intentionally set as part of an FI-210 Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination class, and were necessary to train the next cadre of wildland fire investigators in Virginia and the Southeastern part of the United States. During this week-long... Read More

Notices

Registration Open for Virginia Certified Prescribed Burn Managers Course

July 6, 2021 - Prescribed burn professionals are encouraged to complete training and certification to become a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager. The VA Certified Prescribed Burn Managers Course will be offered virtually on September 21-24, 2021. Registration is open until September 9, 2021 for the Virginia Certified Prescribed Burn Managers Course. Prerequisite work is required. View more information in our Event Calendar.

Field Notes

Witnessing a Miracle

May 24, 2021 - By Sarah Parmelee, VDOF Forestland Conservation Coordinator This spring I didn’t go to many tree plantings, but I was able to take part in something very important, and in a way, miraculous. I am a country mouse if ever there was one, and even though Washington D.C. is just a an hour away, it feels like traveling to another country to leave the hills of Warrenton and make the trek... Read More

Stories

Goshen Wildfire Shines a Spotlight on Cooperation

May 4, 2021 - April 30 is the last day of Virginia’s spring fire season, and it typically goes out like a lamb. Not this year. VDOF personnel were on high alert all day last Friday, after the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning, meaning low humidity and high winds would create conditions ripe for wildfires. In fact, on Friday and Saturday, VDOF personnel responded to eighteen fires which burned more than... Read More

Notices

Take Action! May is Wildfire Awareness Month

May 1, 2021 - May 1, 2021 is Wildfire Community Preparedness Day and the entire month of May is considered National Wildfire Awareness Month. The Virginia Department of Forestry is joining in to dedicate May to prevention and preparedness.  Prevention and suppression of wildfires is a key part of the Virginia Department of Forestry’s (VDOF) mission; the agency achieves this through education, as well as responding to and suppressing wildfires.  VDOF responders suppress more... Read More

Field Notes

Field Notes: Partnerships at Pleasant Grove

April 19, 2021 - By Ellen Powell, VDOF Conservation Education Coordinator Pleasant Grove Park in Fluvanna County offers a nature-rich experience for visitors and a variety of habitats for wildlife. Behind the scenes, it’s also a model for collaboration between county government and a plethora of partners. VDOF has been a part of several education and stewardship projects at the park, including establishment of a tree identification trail, providing trees for planting, and most... Read More

Field Notes

Field Notes: Fire Season is Coming – Be Prepared!

February 11, 2021 - By Heather Tuck, VDOF Eastern Region Fire Specialist Happy February! As we move into this month, my mind, along with many others at Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF), turns to preparing for the upcoming spring fire season. It may not look like it outside (there are five inches of glorious snow outside my window right now), but we are quickly approaching fire season in Virginia. As a fire program specialist,... Read More

Field Notes

Field Notes: Teamwork on the Fan Mountain Fire

March 13, 2020 - On March 9, a wildfire was reported in southern Albemarle County — VDOF and local partner agency Albemarle Fire Rescue responded to the scene. By March 11, suppression efforts had contained 75% of the fire but more than 320 acres had burned. The crews continued suppression operations into the early evening and performed mop-up and spot checks in the following days. As of March 12, the fire was 100% contained.... Read More