Ag News

North Georgia summer burn restrictions in effect

Note: This is an updated version of a story published in the April 30 Field Notes to include details about burns for agricultural purposes. 

Summer air quality precautions will be in place for north Georgians. From May 1 to Sept. 30, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Environmental Protection Division restricts residents in 54 counties from burning yard and land clearing debris because smoke may affect ozone levels in urban areas.

The 54 Georgia counties affected are: Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lumpkin, Madison, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Richmond, Rockdale, Spalding, Troup, Twiggs, Upson, Walker, and Walton. Outside of the 54 counties with restrictions, prescribed burning and some outdoor burning are still permitted when weather conditions are suitable.

Agricultural burns, classified as Burn Types 2 & 3, are allowed in the 54 counties with restrictions as well as the rest of Georgia, though Georgia Forestry Commission Forest Protection Chief Thomas Barrett said burners are required to notify the GFC prior to burning.

“Our farmers recognize the importance of maintaining clean air,” Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall said. “At the same time, carefully managed fires can provide significant benefits, including reduced wildfire risk, maintaining ecosystem health and improved wildlife habitat.”

The following agricultural burns are exempt from the burn ban:

• Burn Type 2 to carry out recognized agricultural procedures necessary for production or harvesting of crops on land tracts that are five acres or smaller.

•  Burn Type 3 to burn vegetative material for agricultural operations (if land tract is greater than 5 acres). Allows open burning over any agricultural tract, lot, or parcel greater than five acres for purposes of any existing, expanded, or new agricultural operations as such term is defined by O.C.G.A. Section 1-3-3, provided that such burning is consistent with the requirements of the Federal Act and is limited to vegetative material.

For more information about the 13 burn types recognized by the EPD & GFC, visit https://gfb.ag/GAburnbanrules.

Notably, prescribed burns (also referred to as controlled burns) are not permitted in the 19 metro Atlanta counties (Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Spalding and Walton), but Burn Types 2,3,5,6,10 and 12 are allowed.

In the rest of the burn ban counties, prescribed burns are allowed unless an air quality alert of code orange or higher is issued. Those counties are Banks, Bartow, Bibb, Butts, Catoosa, Chattooga, Clarke, Columbia, Crawford, Dawson, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Heard, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lumpkin, Madison, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Oconee, Peach, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Richmond, Troup, Twiggs, Upson, and Walker. Burn Types 2, 3, 4,5,6,10 and 12 are also allowed in these counties.

Landowners in Georgia counties not included in the annual burn restrictions must continue to follow specific fire safety guidelines and any local ordinances governing debris burning. The five safety precautions now mandated by law include: set spacing between fires and woodlands and structures, burn times from sunrise to sunset, burner attendance at the fire, and reasonable precautions such as weather awareness and suppression tools.

“The number of wildfires in Georgia has been elevated this spring,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo. “As summer outdoor recreation season begins, all Georgians can play a role in lowering the risk of wildfire by paying close attention to weather conditions and safety precautions.”

For more information about annual summer burn restrictions, burn permits, and services of the Georgia Forestry Commission, visit https://GaTrees.org.

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