Outdoor Burn Ban Lifted In Cherokee County

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services lifted the burn ban on Friday, running through April 2022.

The outdoor burn ban effects 54 Georgia counties, including Cherokee. Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services enforces the burn ban in unincorporated Cherokee County.

Permits are not required for yard debris fires or recreational fire.

Yard Waste

Yard waste means limited natural vegetation yard debris. Natural vegetation includes leaves, pine straw, and dry brush/limbs no more than six inches in diameter that have fallen or been cut from growth on one’s own property. NOTE: Use of charged garden hose and rake/ shovel required.

Recreational Fire

Recreational fire means an outdoor fire in which only logs or clean wood are being burned where the fuel is not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, barbecue grill or barbecue pit and has a total fuel area of three feet or less in diameter and two feet or less in height for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth or similar purposes and which is not used to dispose of garbage or yard waste.

However, burn permits are required for bonfires and land clearing fires.

Bonfire

Bonfire means an outdoor fire larger than a recreational fire in which only logs or clean wood burns for ceremonial purposes.

Contact the Cherokee County Fire Marshal’s Office for permitting at 678-493-6290.

Land Clearing Fire

Land clearing burn means the burning of debris generated by machine of an area for the purpose of land clearing. This type of burning requires the use of an Air Curtain Destructor). Contact the Cherokee County Fire Marshal’s Office for permitting at 678-493-6290.

When it comes to outdoor burning, Cherokee County residents need to do the following:

Do this:

• Burning is allowed between the hours of 10 a.m. and one hour before sunset
• Burning must be constantly attended by an adult who must be outdoors within 100 feet of the fire and watching the fire at all times.
• A water-charged hose must be on hand and ready for use if needed to limit or extinguish the fire. The nozzle of such water hose must be kept within 25 feet of the fire.
• When extinguishing an outdoor fire, no smoldering or hot coals shall remain.
• You can burn logs or clean wood. Clean wood means wood which has not been painted, varnished, or coated with a similar material; has not been pressure treated with preservatives; and does not contain resins or glues as in plywood or other composite wood products.

Don’t do this:

• No burning allowed on windy days (10 mph or higher) or on days when the atmospheric conditions (cloudy, overcast, or raining) would cause smoke to remain low to the ground.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Fires may not be started with petroleum-based products.
• Burning in a barrel or metal drum is prohibited.
• Burning garbage is prohibited — which means any waste material that includes but is not limited to plastic products, Styrofoam, fiberglass, recycling wire (burned to access metal), tires, clothing, furniture, mattresses, boxes, papers, stumps, root balls, and kudzu vines. Any material that is moved from one location to a different property cannot be burned.

A homeowner with a large pile of brush in their yard and frequently having a small fire is not considered a recreational fire. People sitting around a small campfire would be
considered a recreational fire.

Keep in mind that safety always comes first when it comes to outdoor burning.

• SPACE: At least 25 feet between fire and woodlands. At least 50 feet between fire and structures.
• TIME: 10 a.m. to one hour before sunset
• ATTENDANCE: Person responsible must stay onsite until fire is complete extinguished and there is no risk of burn escaping.
• REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS: Tools/measures in place to prevent escaped fire: These include continuous pressurized water source on site; man made or natural barrier to contain fire, such as bare soil, rocks, bricks, etc.; hand tools or fire-containing equipment on site, such as rake, shovel, garden hoe, etc.; weather awareness

The county marshal or his or her designee shall be authorized to issue a citation returnable to the magistrate’s court for violation. Any person who violates any provision of the outdoor burning ordinance shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a violation of such ordinance and shall be punished in accordance with Section 1-12 and as it may be amended from time to time.

If you have a complaint or problem regarding burning in your area, call 911 when the active burning is occurring.