Georgia’s state-wide burn ban ends Oct. 1

Outdoor burning restrictions in 54 northern Georgia counties ended on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division limits burning in these areas from May 1 until the end of September to control emission-related ozone levels that may rise in summer.

The 54 counties whose burn bans were lifted on Oct. 1 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.

The risk of wildfire increases in autumn and safety rules must be followed when burning. “Debris burning that gets out of control is the leading cause of wildfire,” officials say. “If that happens, burners must be able to prove they took precautions before lighting their outdoor fire.”

Please see the link for recommendations provided by the Georgia Forestry Commission for more details and safety tips: https://gatrees.org/burn-permits-and-notifications/…

The safety precautions mandated by law are: set spacing distances 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. Full details including video tutorials in English and Spanish can be found at GaTrees.org/burn-permits-and-notifications/. Separate notification procedures are required of practitioners conducting prescribed burns.

For more information about safe burning and services of the Georgia Forestry Commission, visit GaTrees.org. For more on air quality regulations, visit https://epd.georgia.gov/air-protection-branch/open-burning-rules-georgia.