DRAFT TEMPLATE: The Understory – month day, 2026

February 26, 2026 10:47 am

Spring Fire Season Arrives

Spring fire season is officially underway, marking the time of year when Virginia’s 4 p.m. burning law is in effect.

“Virginia averages around 700 wildfires each year, with the majority occurring in spring,” said Chief of Fire and Emergency Response John Miller. “Already this year, DOF has responded to approximately 100 wildfires. Warmer weather, dry and windy conditions, and abundant fuels increase wildfire risk.

Until fire season ends on April 30, you can help prevent wildfires by following Virginia’s statewide burning law, which prohibits outdoor burning between midnight and 4 p.m. Learn everything you need to know for fire season on DOF’s website.

Apply Today for DOF’s Camp Woods & Wildlife!

Give your student or child the chance to connect with nature, build new friendships, and discover Virginia’s forests up close. Applications are open now until April 15 for Camp Woods & Wildlife, a one-of-a-kind experience that combines classic summer camp fun with exploration of natural resource careers. Camp will take place June 15-19 at the Holiday Lake 4-H Center in Appomattox.

“One of the foresters showed us some trees, like sourwood, that have leaves that can be chewed, and I was really surprised by how pleasant it tasted! My time at camp definitely has me more interested in natural resource careers.” – 2025 camper

Find the application and more details in DOF’s news release.

NOVA: Get Free Trees to Replace Your Callery Pears

Remove Callery pear trees on your property, get free native replacements from DOF at our next “Callery Pear Exchange” in Fairfax on April 11! To reserve your free trees: Register on DOF’s website, remove a Callery pear tree, take pictures that prove species and removal, then show us the pictures on April 11 for your choice of free native replacements! Get all the details, including tips for identifying and removing Callery pears, in DOF’s news release.

Partner Spotlight: Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program

DOF is proud to highlight our long-standing partnership with the Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program (VFLEP), which provides woodland owners with the tools they need to practice sound management on their land. VFLEP partners with DOF and other organizations to offer a variety of educational programs, including retreats, tours and the highly regarded Woods & Wildlife Conferences, that expose landowners to woodland management activities and connect them with natural resource professionals. DOF and VFLEP also collaborate to offer Generation NEXT, a program that offers a helpful overview of legacy planning to help landowners keep their land intact, in forest and farm, and in family. 

“Our partnership with DOF has been invaluable to me over the past 20 years,” said VFLEP Coordinator Jennifer Gagnon. “I could not do my job without the on-the-ground expertise of DOF’s foresters. DOF also provides financial support, which helps keep the prices of educational programs low for landowners.” Learn more about this partnership and see upcoming programs on VFLEP’s website.

Category: Public Information