Georgia’s summer burn ban ends next week in 54 counties

Georgia’s annual summer burn ban is set to end October 1 in 54 counties, including Bibb, Houston, Monroe, Peach and other Middle Georgia counties.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)- Georgia’s summer burn ban is set to end next week in 54 counties, including several across Middle Georgia.

The restrictions will be lifted Thursday, October 1.

The annual burn ban runs from May 1 through the end of September and is imposed by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to help protect air quality during the hotter months.

Counties where the burn ban will be lifted include Bibb, Butts, Crawford, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Monroe, Peach, Putnam, Twiggs, and Upson.

The full list also includes Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Meriwether, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Richmond, Rockdale, Spalding, Troup, Walker and Walton counties.

Georgia Forestry Commission Director and State Forester John Sabo said fall generally brings better air quality for outdoor burning but warned people to pay close attention to local conditions and fire safety.

The Georgia Forestry Commission says debris burning that gets out of control is the leading cause of wildfire in the state.

A permit is no longer required for hand-piled natural debris burns, but people who burn are still responsible for their fires. If a wildfire results, the burner must be able to show that required safety precautions were taken beforehand.

Those precautions include maintaining required spacing between fires, woodlands, and structures, burning only between sunrise and sunset, staying with the fire, and taking reasonable precautions such as checking weather conditions and having suppression tools available.

The summer burn ban remains in effect through September 30.