Summer Burn Ban Begins This Weekend For Forsyth County

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

Forsyth 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.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division imposes this annual ban on outdoor burning to
comply with federal clean air regulations and to help improve Georgia’s air quality during the hot
summer months, a time when people, particularly young children, are more likely to be outdoors. This outdoor activity also coincides with an increase in ground-level ozone, which is most commonly produced in the heat of the summer and can cause lung inflammation and other health issues, and particle pollution, which is created by open burning.

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.

For more details regarding outdoor burning regulations visit online, follow the Forsyth County Fire Department on Facebook or call the Forsyth County Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office at 678-455-8072.