Summer Burn Ban Begins This Weekend For Cherokee County

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — Starting on Saturday, Cherokee County will begin its annual summer burn ban. That means burning almost anything outside — including limbs, leaves and other yard debris — will be illegal.

Cherokee 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.

“We have had six incidents of 'illegal burns,' and 24 incidents of 'brush/grass/vegetation fires'
since January 1st of this year," Cherokee County Fire Investigator Cheri Collett said.

The combination of relative low humidity and dry fuel can make high fire danger conditions. These are the conditions residents have been experiencing lately in Cherokee County. These conditions have led to several fires causing major damage in the area including house fires.

Residential burning requires a permit from the Georgia Forestry Commission. During burn season, a burn permit must be obtained via the Georgia Forestry Commission website. Proceed to the Permit Request Form and obtain a Burn Permit. You can also call the Georgia Forestry Commission at 877-652-2876.

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. Rules for residential burning in Cherokee County can be found online.