New Regulations for Residential Outdoor Burning

Outdoor burning.

All burning operations in the city shall comply with the “Rules for Air Quality Control” chapter 391-3-1 as written and amended by the Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, Air Protection Branch unless specifically modified herein.

No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit open burning in any area of the city without a permit issued by the Georgia Forestry Commission, in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 12-6-90.

The following activities are allowed after a permit is issued:

1. Residential Property Maintenance

Burning of leaf piles and other “natural vegetation” such as trees, shrubbery and pine straw on the premises on which they fall by the person in control of the premises are permitted, subject to the described restrictions:

1. No burn pile shall be larger than six feet (6’) in diameter by two feet (2’) high.  There shall be 10 feet between burn piles.  The location for open burning shall not be less than 50 feet from any structure (house, accessory structure, fence, public utility) on piles three feet (3’) to five feet (5’) in diameter and 25 feet where the pile size is three feet (3’) or less in diameter and two feet (2’) or less in height.  All fires must be constantly attended by a competent person 16 years of age or older with the ability to extinguish the fire.  There shall be no more than two (2) burn piles at any time.  No burning of this type will be authorized when the humidity is less than 25 percent or the winds are greater than 10 mph, as provided on the Georgia Forestry Commission daily “wind speed” and “humidity” database (http://weather.gfc.state.ga.us/Maps.html).  Failure to comply with these rules which results is an uncontrolled fire or a valid complaint that requires the response of the fire department, will result in the fire being immediately extinguished.