James City County, VA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in James City County, VA, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Key Facts
- Recreational fire setback
- 25 ft from structures/combustibles
- Yard waste burning
- A-1 zoned land only, 5x5x5 ft piles
- Land clearing burn distance
- 1,000 ft outside PSA / 2,000 ft inside PSA
- Seasonal restriction
- Feb 15-Apr 30, 4 p.m.-midnight, within 300 ft of woodland
- Bonfire permit fee
- $25 per permit
- Violation penalty
- Class 3 misdemeanor plus suppression costs
Summary
James City County bans burning yard waste countywide except on land zoned A-1, General Agriculture, and even there prohibits it in platted subdivisions and manufactured home parks. Recreational fires must stay at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material. Land clearing debris, bonfires and other open burns need a fire official permit, and all burning stops when conditions turn hazardous.
Recreational fires are permitted in the county but shall not be conducted within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material. ... Burning of yard waste is prohibited within the county except in those areas zoned A-1, General Agriculture; provided, however, even within areas zoned A-1, yard waste shall not be burned in platted subdivisions, excluding family subdivisions, or in manufactured home parks. Yard waste shall be burned in piles no larger than five feet by five feet by five feet.
Full Breakdown
The fire prevention code, adopted under Sec. 9-1 and amended locally at Sec. 9-3, sets the county's open-burning rules. Recreational fires (fuel three feet or less in diameter and two feet or less high) are allowed countywide but must stay 25 feet from any structure or combustible material. Yard waste burning is banned outside A-1 General Agriculture zoning, and even in A-1 areas it is barred in platted subdivisions (except family subdivisions) and manufactured home parks; piles are capped at five feet by five feet by five feet.
Land clearing debris may only be burned under a fire official permit ($50 per permit) and must sit at least 1,000 feet from an occupied dwelling or commercial building outside the county's primary service area, or 2,000 feet inside it, using an approved pit or an air-curtain destructor to cut smoke and ash. Household debris may burn in a burn barrel within 25 feet of a structure, capped at two feet in any dimension. Bonfires need a $25 permit. and midnight; the exception does not cover orchards, vineyards or federal land.
The fire official may order any fire extinguished when atmospheric or local conditions make it hazardous, and appeals go to the James City County Board of Building Code Appeals, sitting as the Board of Fire Prevention Code Appeals.
Violations & Fines
Violating the February 15 to April 30 burning restriction is a Class 3 misdemeanor, and anyone whose illegal fire starts a forest fire is also liable to the Commonwealth for the full cost of suppressing it, collected through the State Forester's Forestry Operations Fund. Burning construction or demolition waste at a job site is separately prohibited, as is hauling such waste elsewhere in the county to burn it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard waste in my yard in James City County?
Do I need a permit for a bonfire?
What happens if I burn brush during fire season?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in James City County
How James City County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare James City County to another location·View the Virginia fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.