{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/10.1-1159.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/10.1-1159.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/10.1-1159.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/10.1-1159.html"}],"law_id":345456,"edition_id":2,"section_id":345456,"structure_id":49607,"section_number":"10.1-1159","catch_line":"Upon proclamation of Governor certain acts made unlawful where extraordinary fire hazards exist; closing of hunting and fishing seasons","history":"1954, c. 134, \u00a7 27-54.1; 1964, c. 65; 1966, c. 302; 1986, c. 188; 1988, c. 891.","full_text":"Upon proclamation of the Governor, it shall be unlawful, when the forestlands, brushlands and fields in the Commonwealth or any part thereof have become so dry as to create an extraordinary fire hazard endangering lives and property, for any person, except the owner, tenant or owner’s authorized agent, persons regularly engaged in cutting, processing, or moving forest products, or person on official duty, to enter or travel in any state, county, municipal or private forestlands, brushlands, marshland, fields or idle or abandoned lands in the area so affected except on public highways or well-defined private roads. During such period hunting and fishing seasons shall be closed, except hunting of migratory waterfowl and fishing as hereinafter provided, on all land and water within the Commonwealth or any geographical part thereof affected by proclamation. It shall further be unlawful during such periods for any person to hunt or fish except as hereinafter provided, smoke, burn leaves, grass, brush or debris of any type or to ignite or maintain any open fire nearer than 300 feet from any such forestlands, brushlands or fields containing inflammable vegetation or marshland adjoining such forestlands, brushlands, fields or idle or abandoned lands.\n\nIt shall not be unlawful to fish or hunt migratory waterfowl from a boat, or from a blind entirely surrounded by water and reached by a boat, or on nonforested islands at least 300 feet from the mainland shore and reached by a boat, when the boat embarks from and lands at established boat landings, and at no other time touches shore nearer than 300 feet from any forestlands, brushlands, or fields containing inflammable vegetation or marshland adjoining such areas.\n\nIt shall be the duty of all authorized law-enforcement officers of the Commonwealth, counties and municipalities to enforce the provisions of this section.\n\nAny person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor for each separate offense.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1287896,"text":"Upon proclamation of the Governor, it shall be unlawful, when the forestlands, brushlands and fields in the Commonwealth or any part thereof have become so dry as to create an extraordinary fire hazard endangering lives and property, for any person, except the owner, tenant or owner’s authorized agent, persons regularly engaged in cutting, processing, or moving forest products, or person on official duty, to enter or travel in any state, county, municipal or private forestlands, brushlands, marshland, fields or idle or abandoned lands in the area so affected except on public highways or well-defined private roads. During such period hunting and fishing seasons shall be closed, except hunting of migratory waterfowl and fishing as hereinafter provided, on all land and water within the Commonwealth or any geographical part thereof affected by proclamation. It shall further be unlawful during such periods for any person to hunt or fish except as hereinafter provided, smoke, burn leaves, grass, brush or debris of any type or to ignite or maintain any open fire nearer than 300 feet from any such forestlands, brushlands or fields containing inflammable vegetation or marshland adjoining such forestlands, brushlands, fields or idle or abandoned lands.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1287897,"text":"It shall not be unlawful to fish or hunt migratory waterfowl from a boat, or from a blind entirely surrounded by water and reached by a boat, or on nonforested islands at least 300 feet from the mainland shore and reached by a boat, when the boat embarks from and lands at established boat landings, and at no other time touches shore nearer than 300 feet from any forestlands, brushlands, or fields containing inflammable vegetation or marshland adjoining such areas.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"2":{"id":1287898,"text":"It shall be the duty of all authorized law-enforcement officers of the Commonwealth, counties and municipalities to enforce the provisions of this section.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"3":{"id":1287899,"text":"Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor for each separate offense.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":49607,"edition_id":2,"name":"Fire Hazards and Closing of Hunting and Fishing Seasons in Forestlands","identifier":"8","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":9,"parent_id":49596,"metadata":{"child_laws":4,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:12:16","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:28:52","permalink":{"id":1372283,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49607,"identifier":"8","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/8","url":"\/10.1\/II\/11\/8\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49596,"edition_id":2,"name":"Forest Resources and the Department of Forestry","identifier":"11","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":49595,"metadata":{"child_laws":116,"child_structures":16},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:12:05","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:28:51","permalink":{"id":1371837,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49596,"identifier":"11","token":"10.1\/II\/11","url":"\/10.1\/II\/11\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49595,"edition_id":2,"name":"Activities Administered by Other Entities","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":49584,"metadata":{"child_laws":483,"child_structures":70},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:12:05","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:28:51","permalink":{"id":1371835,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49595,"identifier":"II","token":"10.1\/II","url":"\/10.1\/II\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49584,"edition_id":2,"name":"Conservation","identifier":"10.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":38,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":886,"child_structures":125},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:11:52","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:28:44","permalink":{"id":1370315,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49584,"identifier":"10.1","token":"10.1","url":"\/10.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":345455,"structure_id":49607,"section_number":"10.1-1158","catch_line":"Prohibition of all open burning where serious fire hazards exist; penalty","url":"\/10.1-1158\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/8\/10.1-1158","metadata":false},{"id":345456,"structure_id":49607,"section_number":"10.1-1159","catch_line":"Upon proclamation of Governor certain acts made unlawful where extraordinary fire hazards exist; closing of hunting and fishing seasons","url":"\/10.1-1159\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/8\/10.1-1159","metadata":false},{"id":345458,"structure_id":49607,"section_number":"10.1-1160","catch_line":"Effect of proclamation on hunting season","url":"\/10.1-1160\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/8\/10.1-1160","metadata":false},{"id":345459,"structure_id":49607,"section_number":"10.1-1161","catch_line":"Notice of issuance, amendment or rescission of proclamation","url":"\/10.1-1161\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/8\/10.1-1161","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":345455,"structure_id":49607,"section_number":"10.1-1158","catch_line":"Prohibition of all open burning where serious fire hazards exist; penalty","url":"\/10.1-1158\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/8\/10.1-1158","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":345458,"structure_id":49607,"section_number":"10.1-1160","catch_line":"Effect of proclamation on hunting season","url":"\/10.1-1160\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/8\/10.1-1160","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/10.1-1159\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1954. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 134 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1954 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1964, chapter 65; in 1966, chapter 302; in 1986, chapter 188; in 1988, chapter 891.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1372289,"object_type":"law","relational_id":345456,"identifier":"10.1-1159","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/8\/10.1-1159","url":"\/10.1-1159\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/10.1-1159\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/8\/10.1-1159","dublin_core":{"Title":"Upon proclamation of Governor certain acts made unlawful where extraordinary fire hazards exist; closing of hunting and fishing seasons","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 10.1-1159","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Upon proclamation of the Governor, it shall be unlawful, when the forestlands, brushlands and fields in the Commonwealth or any part thereof have become so dry as to create an extraordinary fire hazard endangering lives and property, for any person, except the owner, tenant or owner’s authorized agent, persons regularly engaged in cutting, processing, or moving forest products, or person on official duty, to enter or travel in any state, county, municipal or private forestlands, brushlands, marshland, fields or idle or abandoned lands in the area so affected except on public highways or well-defined private roads. During such period hunting and fishing seasons shall be closed, except hunting of migratory waterfowl and fishing as hereinafter provided, on all land and water within the Commonwealth or any geographical part thereof affected by proclamation. It shall further be unlawful during such periods for any person to hunt or fish except as hereinafter provided, smoke, burn leaves, grass, brush or debris of any type or to ignite or maintain any open fire nearer than 300 feet from any such forestlands, brushlands or fields containing inflammable vegetation or marshland adjoining such forestlands, brushlands, fields or idle or abandoned lands.<\/p>

It shall not be unlawful to fish or hunt migratory waterfowl from a boat, or from a blind entirely surrounded by water and reached by a boat, or on nonforested islands at least 300 feet from the mainland shore and reached by a boat, when the boat embarks from and lands at established boat landings, and at no other time touches shore nearer than 300 feet from any forestlands, brushlands, or fields containing inflammable vegetation or marshland adjoining such areas.<\/p>

It shall be the duty of all authorized law<\/span>-enforcement officers of the Commonwealth, counties and municipalities to enforce the provisions of this section.<\/p>

Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor<\/span> for each separate offense<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUPON PROCLAMATION OF GOVERNOR CERTAIN ACTS MADE UNLAWFUL WHERE EXTRAORDINARY\nFIRE HAZARDS EXIST; CLOSING OF HUNTING AND FISHING SEASONS (\u00a7 10.1-1159)\n\nUpon proclamation of the Governor, it shall be unlawful, when the forestlands,\nbrushlands and fields in the Commonwealth or any part thereof have become so dry\nas to create an extraordinary fire hazard endangering lives and property, for\nany person, except the owner, tenant or owner’s authorized agent, persons\nregularly engaged in cutting, processing, or moving forest products, or person\non official duty, to enter or travel in any state, county, municipal or private\nforestlands, brushlands, marshland, fields or idle or abandoned lands in the\narea so affected except on public highways or well-defined private roads. During\nsuch period hunting and fishing seasons shall be closed, except hunting of\nmigratory waterfowl and fishing as hereinafter provided, on all land and water\nwithin the Commonwealth or any geographical part thereof affected by\nproclamation. It shall further be unlawful during such periods for any person to\nhunt or fish except as hereinafter provided, smoke, burn leaves, grass, brush or\ndebris of any type or to ignite or maintain any open fire nearer than 300 feet\nfrom any such forestlands, brushlands or fields containing inflammable\nvegetation or marshland adjoining such forestlands, brushlands, fields or idle\nor abandoned lands.\n\nIt shall not be unlawful to fish or hunt migratory waterfowl from a boat, or\nfrom a blind entirely surrounded by water and reached by a boat, or on\nnonforested islands at least 300 feet from the mainland shore and reached by a\nboat, when the boat embarks from and lands at established boat landings, and at\nno other time touches shore nearer than 300 feet from any forestlands,\nbrushlands, or fields containing inflammable vegetation or marshland adjoining\nsuch areas.\n\nIt shall be the duty of all authorized law-enforcement officers of the\nCommonwealth, counties and municipalities to enforce the provisions of this\nsection.\n\nAny person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 2\nmisdemeanor for each separate offense.\n\nHISTORY: 1954, c. 134, \u00a7 27-54.1; 1964, c. 65; 1966, c. 302; 1986, c. 188;\n1988, c. 891.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}