{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/10.1-1141.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/10.1-1141.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/10.1-1141.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/10.1-1141.html"}],"law_id":345432,"edition_id":2,"section_id":345432,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1141","catch_line":"Liability and recovery of cost of fighting forest fires by localities and the State Forester","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 10-58, 10-61; 1964, c. 79; 1986, c. 188; 1988, c. 891; 2008, c. 835; 2015, cc. 502, 503.","full_text":"A\n\nThe State Forester in the name of the Commonwealth shall collect the costs of firefighting performed under the direction of a forest warden in accordance with § 10.1-1139 from any person who, negligently or intentionally without using reasonable care and precaution starts a fire or who negligently or intentionally fails to prevent its escape, which fire burns on any forestland, brushland, grassland or wasteland. Such person shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses incurred by the Commonwealth, for fighting or extinguishing such fire. All expenses collected shall be credited to the Forestry Operations Fund. It shall be the duty of the Commonwealth’s attorneys to institute and prosecute proper proceedings under this section, at the instance of the State Forester.\n\nB\n\nAny locality may collect the costs of firefighting from any person who intentionally starts a fire and who fails to attempt to prevent its escape, which fire burns on any forestland, brushland, grassland or wasteland. Such person shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses incurred by the locality and any volunteer fire company or volunteer emergency medical services agency to fight or extinguish the fire and the reasonable administrative costs expended to collect such expenses. The locality shall remit any costs recovered on behalf of another entity to such entity.\n\nC\n\nThe State Forester or a locality may institute an action and recover from either one or both parents of any minor, living with such parents or either of them, the cost of forest fire suppression suffered by reason of the willful or malicious destruction of, or damage to, public or private property by such minor. No more than $750 may be recovered from such parents or either of them as a result of any forest fire incident or occurrence on which such action is based.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1287788,"text":"The State Forester in the name of the Commonwealth shall collect the costs of firefighting performed under the direction of a forest warden in accordance with § 10.1-1139 from any person who, negligently or intentionally without using reasonable care and precaution starts a fire or who negligently or intentionally fails to prevent its escape, which fire burns on any forestland, brushland, grassland or wasteland. Such person shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses incurred by the Commonwealth, for fighting or extinguishing such fire. All expenses collected shall be credited to the Forestry Operations Fund. It shall be the duty of the Commonwealth’s attorneys to institute and prosecute proper proceedings under this section, at the instance of the State Forester.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1287789,"text":"Any locality may collect the costs of firefighting from any person who intentionally starts a fire and who fails to attempt to prevent its escape, which fire burns on any forestland, brushland, grassland or wasteland. Such person shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses incurred by the locality and any volunteer fire company or volunteer emergency medical services agency to fight or extinguish the fire and the reasonable administrative costs expended to collect such expenses. The locality shall remit any costs recovered on behalf of another entity to such entity.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1287790,"text":"The State Forester or a locality may institute an action and recover from either one or both parents of any minor, living with such parents or either of them, the cost of forest fire suppression suffered by reason of the willful or malicious destruction of, or damage to, public or private property by such minor. No more than $750 may be recovered from such parents or either of them as a result of any forest fire incident or occurrence on which such action is based.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":49603,"edition_id":2,"name":"Forest Wardens and Fires","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":6,"parent_id":49596,"metadata":{"child_laws":18,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:12:12","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:28:52","permalink":{"id":1372157,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49603,"identifier":"6","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6","url":"\/10.1\/II\/11\/6\/","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":345421,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1134.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/10.1-1134.1\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1134.1","metadata":false},{"id":345423,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1135","catch_line":"Appointment and compensation of forest wardens; oath; powers","url":"\/10.1-1135\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1135","metadata":false},{"id":345424,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1136","catch_line":"Duties of forest wardens","url":"\/10.1-1136\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1136","metadata":false},{"id":345425,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1137","catch_line":"Duty in case of fires and payment of costs of suppression","url":"\/10.1-1137\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1137","metadata":false},{"id":345426,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1138","catch_line":"Rewards for information leading to conviction of arsonists or incendiaries","url":"\/10.1-1138\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1138","metadata":false},{"id":345427,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1139","catch_line":"Who may be summoned to aid forest warden","url":"\/10.1-1139\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1139","metadata":false},{"id":345431,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1140","catch_line":"Liability of warden for trespass","url":"\/10.1-1140\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1140","metadata":false},{"id":345430,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1140.1","catch_line":"Defense of forest wardens","url":"\/10.1-1140.1\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1140.1","metadata":false},{"id":345432,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1141","catch_line":"Liability and recovery of cost of fighting forest fires by localities and the State Forester","url":"\/10.1-1141\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1141","metadata":false},{"id":345433,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1142","catch_line":"Regulating the burning of woods, brush, etc.; penalties","url":"\/10.1-1142\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1142","metadata":false},{"id":345434,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1143","catch_line":"Throwing inflammable objects from vehicle on highway while in or near certain lands","url":"\/10.1-1143\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1143","metadata":false},{"id":345435,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1144","catch_line":"Failure to clean premises of certain mills","url":"\/10.1-1144\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1144","metadata":false},{"id":345436,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1145","catch_line":"Failure to properly maintain logging equipment and railroad locomotives","url":"\/10.1-1145\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1145","metadata":false},{"id":345437,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1146","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/10.1-1146\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1146","metadata":false},{"id":345438,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1147","catch_line":"Removal of inflammable material from lands adjoining right-of-way by railroads","url":"\/10.1-1147\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1147","metadata":false},{"id":345439,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1148","catch_line":"Fires caused by violation of provisions of article; liability to Commonwealth","url":"\/10.1-1148\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1148","metadata":false},{"id":345440,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1149","catch_line":"Southeastern Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact","url":"\/10.1-1149\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1149","metadata":false},{"id":345448,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1150","catch_line":"Middle Atlantic Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact","url":"\/10.1-1150\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1150","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":345430,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1140.1","catch_line":"Defense of forest wardens","url":"\/10.1-1140.1\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1140.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":345433,"structure_id":49603,"section_number":"10.1-1142","catch_line":"Regulating the burning of woods, brush, etc.; penalties","url":"\/10.1-1142\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1142","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/10.1-1141\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 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 79; in 1986, chapter 188; in 1988, chapter 891; in 2008, chapter 835<\/a>; in 2015, chapters 502<\/a> and 503<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":345427,"section_number":"10.1-1139","catch_line":"Who may be summoned to aid forest warden","order_by":null,"url":"\/10.1-1139\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1372191,"object_type":"law","relational_id":345432,"identifier":"10.1-1141","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1141","url":"\/10.1-1141\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/10.1-1141\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/6\/10.1-1141","dublin_core":{"Title":"Liability and recovery of cost of fighting forest fires by localities and the State Forester","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 10.1-1141","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The State Forester in the name of the Commonwealth shall collect the costs of firefighting performed under the direction of a forest warden in accordance with § 10.1-1139<\/a> from any person who, negligently or intentionally without using reasonable care and precaution starts a fire or who negligently or intentionally fails to prevent its escape, which fire burns on any forestland, brushland, grassland or wasteland. Such person shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses incurred by the Commonwealth, for fighting or extinguishing such fire. All expenses collected shall be credited to the Forestry Operations Fund. It shall be the duty of the Commonwealth’s attorneys to institute and prosecute<\/span> proper proceedings under this section, at the instance of the State Forester. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any locality may collect the costs of firefighting from any person who intentionally starts a fire and who fails to attempt to prevent its escape, which fire burns on any forestland, brushland, grassland or wasteland. Such person shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses incurred by the locality and any volunteer fire company or volunteer emergency medical services agency to fight or extinguish the fire and the reasonable administrative costs expended to collect such expenses. The locality shall remit any costs recovered on behalf of another entity to such entity. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The State Forester or a locality may institute an action and recover from either one or both parents of any minor<\/span>, living with such parents or either of them, the cost of forest fire suppression suffered by reason of the willful or malicious<\/span> destruction of, or damage to, public or private property by such minor<\/span>. No more than $750 may be recovered from such parents or either of them as a result of any forest fire incident or occurrence on which such action is based. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLIABILITY AND RECOVERY OF COST OF FIGHTING FOREST FIRES BY LOCALITIES AND THE\nSTATE FORESTER (\u00a7 10.1-1141)\n\nA. The State Forester in the name of the Commonwealth shall collect the costs of\nfirefighting performed under the direction of a forest warden in accordance with\n§ 10.1-1139 from any person who, negligently or intentionally without using\nreasonable care and precaution starts a fire or who negligently or intentionally\nfails to prevent its escape, which fire burns on any forestland, brushland,\ngrassland or wasteland. Such person shall be liable for the full amount of all\nexpenses incurred by the Commonwealth, for fighting or extinguishing such fire.\nAll expenses collected shall be credited to the Forestry Operations Fund. It\nshall be the duty of the Commonwealth’s attorneys to institute and\nprosecute proper proceedings under this section, at the instance of the State\nForester.\n\nB. Any locality may collect the costs of firefighting from any person who\nintentionally starts a fire and who fails to attempt to prevent its escape,\nwhich fire burns on any forestland, brushland, grassland or wasteland. Such\nperson shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses incurred by the\nlocality and any volunteer fire company or volunteer emergency medical services\nagency to fight or extinguish the fire and the reasonable administrative costs\nexpended to collect such expenses. The locality shall remit any costs recovered\non behalf of another entity to such entity.\n\nC. The State Forester or a locality may institute an action and recover from\neither one or both parents of any minor, living with such parents or either of\nthem, the cost of forest fire suppression suffered by reason of the willful or\nmalicious destruction of, or damage to, public or private property by such\nminor. No more than $750 may be recovered from such parents or either of them as\na result of any forest fire incident or occurrence on which such action is\nbased.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 10-58, 10-61; 1964, c. 79; 1986, c. 188; 1988, c. 891;\n2008, c. 835; 2015, cc. 502, 503.","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"}}