Nottoway Board enacts temporary countywide burn ban amid drought

The Nottoway County Board of Supervisors adopted an emergency order imposing a temporary ban on open burning across the county effective April 16, 2026, citing extreme drought and increased fire risk.

Fire and emergency services staff briefed the board on regional call volume and local dry conditions; the board voted 5–0 to adopt the declaration and instructed county staff to publish the ordinance and notify local media and radio outlets. The ordinance allows the county administrator and fire chief to lift the ban when precipitation returns and clarifies that attended container burns and properly extinguished materials are treated differently than open burning. "No person shall discard or dispose of any smoking materials outside unless the materials are fully extinguished," the ordinance language states; officials explained that standard burn barrels are permitted when attended and properly extinguished under the emergency rules.

The board asked staff to include print and radio notices before enforcement actions and to post the declaration on the county website.