Fire Regulations in Henrico County, VA (2026)
7 rules for unincorporated Henrico County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Henrico County treats a patio chiminea or fire pit as a controlled burning device, not open burning, so no permit is required. A larger recreational campfire also skips the permit if it stays under 3 feet across and 2 feet tall, sits at least 25 feet from any structure, and is watched at all times with extinguishing equipment on hand.
Henrico Recreational Fire Pit Rules
Some RestrictionsHenrico Fire Marshal, Open Burning FAQ (SFPC § 307.3.2)
Stoves, incinerators or other controlled burning devices, which would include patio fireplaces, do not fall under the open-burning regulations. ... RECREATIONAL FIRES are defined as an outdoor fire burning materials other than rubbish where the fuel being burned is NOT contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, barbeque grill or barbeque pit and are permitted in accordance with the Statewi...
Fireworks
Henrico bans possessing, selling, storing, or using any fireworks, including 'permissible' fountains and sparklers. Only supervised public displays under a fire marshal permit are legal. This is stricter than state law and applies to every resident countywide.
Fireworks Banned Countywide; Permit Only for Public Displays
Some RestrictionsHenrico County Code § 11-20(b)
No person may store, possess, offer for sale, expose for sale, sell at retail or use or explode any fireworks, as that term is defined in the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code, except that a person may conduct a supervised public display of fireworks pursuant to a permit granted by the fire marshal.
Brush Clearance
Before burning brush, grass, or debris, Henrico requires you to cut and pile it or clear the ground around it and control the fire until fully out. For a recreational fire, all combustibles within 25 feet of a structure must be removed first.
Clear Combustibles Before Any Outdoor Burn
Some RestrictionsHenrico Fire Marshal, Open Burning FAQ (SFPC § 307.4)
Recreational fires shall not be conducted within 25 feet of a structure or in combustible material conditions that could cause a fire to spread. All unsafe combustible material and vegetation conditions within 25 feet of a structure shall be eliminated prior to recreational fire ignition.
Outdoor Burning
Open burning of anything other than leaves requires a burn permit from the Henrico Fire Marshal. Leaf burning is allowed only in areas without county leaf pickup, on set dates and hours. No burn permits are issued in June, July, or August.
Open Burning Requires a Fire Marshal Permit
Some RestrictionsHenrico County Code § 11-18
It is unlawful for any person to burn, or to procure another to burn, brush, grass, leaves, debris or other inflammable material unless the person has either cut and piled the material to be burned or has carefully cleared around the material to be burned... No one may burn any materials without obtaining all permits required by state law.
Wildfire Zones
Henrico County maps no wildfire hazard or WUI zones. Instead, Virginia's '4 PM Burning Law' bars outdoor fires within 300 feet of woodland before 4 p.m. during Feb 15-Apr 30, and the fire chief can declare countywide drought burn bans.
No Mapped Wildfire Zones; State 4 PM Burning Law Applies
Some RestrictionsCode of Virginia § 10.1-1142(B)
During the period February 15 through April 30... it shall be unlawful... for any person to set fire to... any brush, leaves, grass, debris or field containing dry grass or other inflammable material located in or within 300 feet of any woodland, brushland, or field containing dry grass or other inflammable material, except between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight.
Smoke Detectors
Henrico requires smoke alarms in every building with a dwelling unit, plus hotels, motels, and roominghouses. Owners must inspect alarms annually; landlords must certify working alarms to tenants no more than once every 12 months.
Smoke Alarms Required in All Dwellings
Some RestrictionsHenrico County Code § 6-56
Smoke alarms must be installed in the following structures or buildings if smoke alarms have not been installed in accordance with the building code: (1) Any building containing one or more dwelling units; (2) Any hotel or motel...; and (3) Any roominghouses regularly used, offered for, or intended to be used to provide overnight sleeping accommodations.
Propane Storage
Henrico sets no separate propane-storage ordinance. LP-gas storage is governed by the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code, which the county adopts and enforces. Container limits and separation distances come from that state code, not a local rule.
Propane Storage Follows the State Fire Prevention Code
Some RestrictionsHenrico County Code § 11-1
the current edition of the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code setting forth regulations for the prevention of, and protection from, fire is administered and enforced in the county by the fire division.
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