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Open air burning is again banned in Suffolk and across Virginia through the end of September.

The annual “summer burn ban” runs from May 1 through Sept. 30. This restriction comes from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and also was adopted as an ordinance by Suffolk’s City Council in January 2007 to improve the City’s declining air quality and reduce the number of responses for refuse, grass, brush and woodland fires.

The open burn ban includes all types of burning, from burning in a barrel to commercial land clearing operations. In Suffolk, failure to comply with the burn ban can result in a fine of up to $2,500 and one year in jail, as well as a bill for extinguishing the fire.

Residents are encouraged to take advantage of Suffolk’s bulk pickup service to remove yard debris or to carry the debris to a local landfill for disposal. In cases where large quantities of debris are involved, property owners may want to consider hiring a contractor to remove the debris.