Summertime Burn Ban Ends September 30th

The Georgia Summertime Burn Ban has been lifted as of October 1^st, 2026.

The Summertime Burn Ban in Georgia runs from May 1^st to September 30^th each year.
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.

It is unlawful in Georgia to burn man-made materials such as tires, shingles, plastics, lumber, or household garbage, even in a burn barrel.

For a resident to burn natural vegetation/yard debris, (sticks, limbs and leaves that are hand-piled), they can do so (No Permit Required). Georgia Forestry advises burners to carefully plan their burning by remembering to “Take Five,” and to follow an easy to remember “S-S-T-A-R” formula.

S – Space – 25+ feet between fire and woodlands

S – Space – 50+ feet between fire and structures

T – Time – sunrise to sunset

A – Attendance – Person responsible on-site until the fire is extinguished

R – Reasonable precautions – Tools/measures in place to prevent escaped fire. Some examples are: tools/measures in place to prevent escaped fire.

These include: continuous pressurized water source on site; man-made or natural barrier to contain fire, such as bare soil, rocks, bricks, burn barrel, etc.; hand tools or fire-containing equipment on site, such as rake, shovel, garden hoe, etc.; weather awareness – to NWS red flag warnings, High Fire Danger designation of Very High or Extreme days and other hazardous conditions, low relative humidity, high winds, etc.

This exception to outdoor burning prohibitions is intended for the unincorporated areas of Cherokee County and the Cities of Nelson and Waleska. Citizens within the incorporated areas of Ball Ground, Holly Springs, Canton, and Woodstock shall follow the guidelines set forth in their respective jurisdictions’ outdoor burning ordinances.

For more information regarding open outdoor burning, please visit EPD.Georgia.Gov