Outdoor Burning Hotline 770-504-6079
Daily / Hourly Outdoor Burning Updates
WHAT YOU CAN BURN
Open burning in Georgia is prohibited with the exception of 13 types of legal burn activities:
(1) reduction of leaf piles, yard debris, or hand-piled natural vegetation on premises,
(2) agricultural procedures for production or harvesting of crops (if land tract is 5 acres or less),
(3) burning vegetative material for agricultural operations (if land tract is greater than 5 acres), .
(4) prescribed burning,
(5) recreational purposes and cooking,
(6) fire-fighting training,
(7) acquired structure burns,
(8) vegetative debris from storms,
(9) weed abatement, disease, and pest prevention,
(10) open flame devices,
(11) land clearing, construction, and right-of-way maintenance,
(12) disposal of packaging materials for explosives, and
(13) land clearing with an air curtain destructor
WHAT YOU CAN NOT BURN
It is unlawful in Georgia to burn man made materials such as tires, shingles, cardboard, plastics, lumber, construction materials, household garbage, or anything other than NATURAL VEGATATION, even in a burn barrel.
Georgia Clean Air Act 391-3-1-.02(5)
Chapter 391-3-1-.02(5)- Georgia's outdoor burning regulations -In Georgia, violating the Clean Air Act via illegal outdoor burning can result in fines up to $25,000 per day. It is illegal to burn man-made materials (trash, plastic, lumber) anytime
Official Code of Georgia Annotated 16-7-63
(a) It shall be unlawful:
(1) To, with intent to damage, start, cause, or procure another to start or cause a fire in any woodlands, brush, field, or other lands that are not one's own and without the permission of the owner or the lessee having control of such property;
(2) To burn any brush, field, forest land, campfire, or debris, whether on one's own land or the lands of another, without taking the necessary precautions before, during, and after the fire to prevent the escape of such fire onto the lands of another. The escape of such fire shall be prima-facie evidence that necessary precautions were not taken;
(3) For any person to cause a fire by discarding any lighted cigarette, cigar, debris, or any other flaming or smoldering material that may cause a forest fire; or
(4) To destroy or damage any material or device used in the detection or suppression of wildfires.
(c) (2) Any person who violates paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of arson of lands in the third degree and shall be punished the same as provided by subsection (c) of Code Section 16-7-62 for arson in the third degree.(
3) Any person whose violation of paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Code section results in a fire that burns more than five acres that are not one's own shall be guilty of arson of lands in the second degree and shall be punished the same as provided by subsection (c) of Code Section 16-7-61 for arson in the second degree.
(4) Any person who violates paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Code section under such circumstances that it was reasonably foreseeable that human life might be endangered shall be guilty of arson of lands in the first degree and shall be punished the same as provided by subsection (c) of Code Section 16-7-60 for arson in the first degree.
SAFETY RULES AND REQUIREMENTS
Space (25+ ft): Maintain at least 25 feet between the fire and woodlands.Space
(50+ ft): Maintain at least 50 feet between the fire and structures.
Time (Sunrise-Sunset): Burning must only occur during daylight hours.
Attendance: The person responsible must stay with the fire until it is completely extinguished.
Reasonable Precautions: Have tools (rakes, shovels) and a pressurized water source on-site, and check that weather conditions are safe
WHEN A BURN PERMIT IS REQUIRED
Outdoor burning in Georgia requires a permit from the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) for: (2) agricultural procedures for production or harvesting of crops (if land tract is 5 acres or less) (3) burning vegetative material for agricultural operations (if land tract is greater than 5 acres) (4) prescribed burning (8) vegetative debris from storms (9) weed abatement, disease, and pest prevention (11), land clearing, construction, and right-of-way maintenance (13) land clearing with an air curtain destructor.
WHEN A BURN PERMIT IS NOT REQUIRED
As of July 1, 2021, the Georgia outdoor burning requirements have changed. No permit is required for hand-piled natural vegetation/yard debris meaning leaf and limbs only
SUMMER OPEN BURN BAN -MAY 1st - SEPTEMBER 30th
During the summer months, the ozone in the air we breathe can reach unhealthy levels. Ozone is formed when volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides react in the presence of sunlight. A major source of these pollutants is the burning of fuels and other combustible materials. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has identified open burning as a significant contributor of the pollutants that form ozone. Therefore, open burning in Butts County, along with 53 other counties, is restricted during the summer months. Beginning May 1st and ending September 30th. The Open Burning Ban prohibits citizens and businesses from burning yard and land-clearing debris. This rule is in addition to the year-round state ban on the burning of household garbage.
CONTACT GFC COUNTY CHIEF RANGER FOR FURTHER PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
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