Summer Burn Ban Begins This Weekend For Alpharetta, Milton

ALPHARETTA/MILTON, GA — Starting on Saturday, Alpharetta and Milton will begin its annual summer burn ban. That means burning almost anything outside — including limbs, leaves and other yard debris — will be illegal.

Fulton County will be one of 54 Georgia counties to ban almost all outdoor fires through Sept. 30. Most of the counties covered by the Georgia burn ban are in and around metro Atlanta.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division does allow some outdoor fires, including barbecues and campfires for recreational purposes.

"Milton residents' ability to understand and adhere to the 'burn ban' is very important," Milton Fire Marshal Alex Fortner said. "Doing so can help keep our air cleaner and prevent avoidable, dangerous fires."

With Milton, burning in non-agricultural areas - in other words, plots that aren't agriculturally zoned - is not allowed year-round (so not just when the "burn ban" is in effect). The only exceptions are small fires for the immediate consumption of food and small campfires. There's also a prohibition on burning treated wood, garbage, construction debris, and other non-vegetative items.

There are some exceptions in areas zoned AG1 (which includes most of Milton's land area) after May 1, namely:

1. Open burning related to the production or harvesting crops on lots 5 acres or less is allowed.
2. For larger tracts (more than 5 acres), open burning is allowed for existing, expanded, and/or new agricultural operations.

These two exemptions, however, may be rescinded if there is a high fire danger rating on any given day. The Milton Fire-Rescue Department has the authority to prohibit and extinguish any fire in the city that it deems unsafe.

Summer burns are banned for the same reason Atlanta vehicles have emission tests — they contribute to ozone in the air, which the EPD says can reach "unhealthy levels" when it's warm.

The ban will continue until Sept. 30 unless weather and drought conditions this fall dictate otherwise. And remember, there's already a year-round ban on burning household garbage outdoors. Break the law, and you may face a hefty fine.

For a complete list of what you can burn and where you can burn it, visit the Georgia Environmental Protection Division's website.