Virginia does not have one statewide fire department. Fire protection in the Commonwealth is a local job, handled by county agencies, independent cities, towns, volunteer companies, and a small number of federal and industrial crews. Our directory lists 1,251 fire department entries across 492 cities and 127 counties. This page explains how those pieces fit together, so you can work out which station or office actually answers your question.

One rule comes first: for a fire, smoke, a medical emergency, or a crash, call 911. The listings and direct phone numbers here are for non-emergency business such as inspections, permits, records, training, station tours, and volunteering.

Who Governs Fire Services in Virginia: State Support, Local Control

Title 27 of the Code of Virginia covers fire protection, and it leaves daily operations to localities. A county board of supervisors or a city council decides whether to run a career department, fund volunteer companies, or combine both. That is why a station in Northern Virginia looks very different from one in the far southwest.

The state still plays a supporting role. The Virginia Department of Fire Programs, based in Richmond and guided by the Virginia Fire Services Board, offers training and certification programs and administers funding that helps localities pay for training and equipment. Much of that training happens at local academies and shared centers. In our listings, the Danville and Pittsylvania County Regional Training Center at 658 Stinson Drive (434-799-5226) is one example of a shared local facility.

Safety rules come from other bodies. The Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code, which falls under the Department of Housing and Community Development, sets minimum fire safety standards for existing buildings. Localities may choose to enforce it, usually through a fire marshal's office. Emergency medical services have their own regulator, the Office of Emergency Medical Services in the Virginia Department of Health, which licenses EMS agencies and certifies providers. Many fire stations also staff ambulances, so both systems often operate under one roof.

Outdoor burning has a statewide rule too. Virginia's 4 p.m. Burning Law, backed by the Virginia Department of Forestry, bars open burning before 4 p.m. between February 15 and April 30 when the fire is within 300 feet of woodland, brush, or dry grass. Your locality may add its own permit rules or temporary bans, so call the local fire marshal or station before you light anything.

Independent Cities, Counties, and Why Virginia Mailing Addresses Can Mislead

Virginia has 38 independent cities that sit outside any county. Richmond, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Roanoke, Hampton, Newport News, Alexandria, and Danville are all independent cities, each with its own government and fire service. Our database groups listings under county-style labels, so you may see Virginia Beach County or Danville County even though no such counties exist. Read those labels as the city's own jurisdiction.

Mailing addresses add another wrinkle. Chesterfield Fire and Emergency Medical Services Station 11 - Dale sits at 5811 Iron Bridge Road with a Richmond mailing address, yet it belongs to Chesterfield County (804-748-1360), not the City of Richmond. Roanoke County's Mason Cove Station 10 at 3810 Bradshaw Road uses a Salem mailing city in the same way. The government that serves the property decides which agency responds, not the post office name.

To confirm your own jurisdiction, check your property tax bill or your locality's website. Then browse our directory by that county or city. The mailing city on an envelope is only a starting point.

Career, Volunteer, and Combination Fire Departments Across Virginia

Virginia leans heavily on the combination model, where paid firefighters work alongside volunteer companies. Roanoke County Fire and Rescue shows this clearly. Its listings include Read Mountain Volunteer Fire Department Station 12 at 43 Eastpark Drive (540-977-5881) and Mason Cove Fire Company at Station 10 (540-777-8701), both operating within the county system. In Albemarle County, the Seminole Trail Volunteer Fire Department and the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad share Station 8 at 3055 Berkmar Drive (434-973-1717).

Dense urban areas rely mostly on paid staff. Examples in our data include the Arlington County Fire Department logistics office at 700 South Ball Street (703-418-2104), Alexandria Fire Department Station 201 at 317 Prince Street (703-838-4651), and Chesapeake Fire Department Station 1 in South Norfolk at 1201 20th Street (757-382-6297).

Volunteer companies remain the backbone of much of rural Virginia. Tazewell County has 27 listings, including Cove Volunteer Fire Department at 1810 Maiden Springs Road (276-988-0902). Holland Volunteer Fire Department in Suffolk (757-657-6417), North Warren Volunteer Fire and Rescue in Front Royal (540-635-6759), and Boiling Springs Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad in Covington (540-747-3851) follow the same pattern. Many volunteer companies are separate nonprofits funded partly by community fundraisers, so a call may reach a member's phone or a message line rather than a staffed desk.

Metro Versus Rural Virginia: What Changes From Region to Region

Where you live shapes what a fire department office can do for you. These regional patterns show up across our listings:

Staffing is the practical difference. A metro department can often answer an inspection or records question the same day. A small volunteer company may only be reachable in the evening, or through the county's central fire and rescue office. If a station does not answer, ask for the county or city administrative office instead.

Military and Industrial Fire Crews Listed in Virginia

Hampton Roads holds the biggest group of federal fire crews. The directory includes Langley Air Force Base Fire Department at 87 Sweeney Boulevard in Hampton (757-764-3068), Fort Eustis-Fort Story Fire and Emergency Services Station 2 on Condon Road in Newport News (757-878-2555), and Navy Regional Mid-Atlantic Fire and Emergency Services at Little Creek on Amphibious Drive in Norfolk (757-322-2318). Norfolk Naval Shipyard Fire Department serves Portsmouth (757-396-3557), and Camp Peary Fire Department is on State Highway 143 near Williamsburg (757-229-2121).

These are Department of Defense crews that serve installations, and base access is controlled. Civilians generally cannot walk in, so call the listed number first. The BWX Technologies Nuclear Operations Division Emergency Team at 1570 Mount Athos Road in Lynchburg (434-522-5796) is also a private industrial team and not a public department.

When you need something from a public department, call during weekday business hours. State your purpose, such as a smoke alarm question, a tour, a permit, or a records request. Crews may be out on a call, so leave a clear message with your name and number.

Fire departments across Virginia range from large career departments in major cities to volunteer departments serving small rural communities, all operating under state fire codes and local ordinances to protect residents from fire and emergency hazards.

Fire Departments locations are available in 492 cities across Virginia. They are spread across 127 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Richmond, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, which have multiple fire stations strategically located to maintain rapid response times for their dense populations.

Residents of Virginia should know your local fire department's non-emergency phone number so you can request burn permits, safety inspections, and community programs without tying up the 911 emergency line.

Fire Departments by Counties

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Residents of Virginia planning any outdoor burning should contact their local fire department for open burning regulations and permit requirements, which can vary significantly by county and season due to drought conditions and fire danger ratings.

Browse Fire Departments by county across Virginia to find the nearest location.

Reading Virginia Fire Department Listings: Station Numbers, Shared Names, and Phone Lines

Listing names in Virginia can look confusing at first, so a few patterns are worth knowing. Many localities number their stations across the whole system, which is why you see entries like Chesterfield Fire and Emergency Medical Services Station 11 - Dale, Stafford County Fire Station 7 - White Oak, and City of Fairfax Fire Department Station 33. The number identifies the station within that locality only. Station 8 in Albemarle County has no connection to a Station 8 anywhere else.

Some entries combine two organizations. The Albemarle listing at 3055 Berkmar Drive names both a volunteer fire department and a rescue squad, because they share a building. The Mason Cove entry joins a local fire company to Roanoke County's station numbering. Both arrangements are normal in a state where volunteer companies and local governments work as partners.

Phone numbers in our listings are station or office lines meant for non-emergency questions. Crews leave the building often, so call on a weekday and be ready to leave a message. For administrative matters such as inspections, ask for the fire marshal. For training questions, ask about the locality's training division or regional center.

Fire Department Questions Virginians Ask

No single agency runs them. Each county, city, or town controls its own fire service under Title 27 of the Code of Virginia. The Virginia Department of Fire Programs supports local departments with training, certification programs, and funding assistance. The Department of Housing and Community Development administers the Statewide Fire Prevention Code, while the Office of Emergency Medical Services in the Virginia Department of Health regulates ambulance agencies and EMS providers. For complaints, hiring, or service questions, start with the locality that operates your station.

Virginia's 38 independent cities are not part of any county, but our database uses county-style labels for every listing. That is why Virginia Beach appears as Virginia Beach County, which holds 25 listings including the City of Virginia Beach Fire Department at 2408 Courthouse Drive (757-385-4228). Treat these labels as the city's own jurisdiction. If you are unsure which government serves your address, check your property tax bill or your locality's website before choosing a listing.

Often yes, but with limits. Under the state's 4 p.m. Burning Law, you cannot burn before 4 p.m. between February 15 and April 30 if the fire is within 300 feet of woodland, brush, or dry grass. Many cities and denser counties restrict or ban open burning entirely, and some require a permit. Rules also tighten during dry spells. Call your local fire marshal or the station's non-emergency number before burning, and never leave a fire unattended or burn on windy days.

Policies differ by locality, so there is no statewide answer. Fire suppression is generally paid for through local taxes. Some localities bill insurance for ambulance transport, and some have cost recovery rules for certain responses such as hazardous materials incidents or crashes. A county that runs a volunteer-based system may rely on donations instead. If you received a bill or want to know the policy before you need help, ask your county or city fire and rescue administrative office for its fee schedule.

Start with the department you want to join, because hiring and age requirements are set locally. Career applicants usually go through testing, medical and background screening, and recruit training. Volunteers contact a company directly, such as Cove Volunteer Fire Department in Tazewell County (276-988-0902) or North Warren Volunteer Fire and Rescue in Front Royal (540-635-6759), and complete training before running calls. Certification courses are tied to the Virginia Department of Fire Programs, and regional centers like the one on Stinson Drive in Danville host classes.

In most places, the local fire marshal's office, which may sit inside the fire department or a separate county office. Localities enforce the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code and may require permits for activities like public events with tents, fireworks displays, or hazardous operations. New construction is typically reviewed through the local building department as well. Fees and forms are set locally. Call the main number for your county or city fire and rescue agency and ask for the fire marshal or fire prevention division.

Contact the department that responded, or the records office of the county or city it serves. You can usually make a request in writing, and many localities accept email or an online form. Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, a public body must respond to a records request within five working days, though some information, such as medical details, may be withheld or redacted. Have the date, address, and incident type ready. Insurance companies often request the same reports, so ask whether your insurer can obtain it directly.