Yearly burn ban begins in 54 Georgia counties amid drought conditions, wildfires

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The yearly summer burn ban began Friday in 54 Georgia counties, including all of metro Atlanta.

The burn ban comes in unique circumstances this year; first responders are still fighting massive wildfires in south Georgia as the state suffers through drought conditions.

RELATED: Everything you need to know about the raging wildfires in south Georgia

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has declared a Level 1 drought response and multiple metro Atlanta counties have already put burn bans in place, including Cobb, Cherokee and Forsyth counties.

RELATED: Georgia has declared a Level 1 drought response. What does that mean?

Georgia’s state forester also issued an outdoor burn ban last week for much of south and central Georgia. That burn ban covers 91 counties.

The Pineland Road and Highway 82 fires have burned more than 50,000 acres combined across Brantley, Clinch and Echols counties, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission.

The EPD typically breaks down burn types into 13 classifications:

1. Reduction of leaf piles, yard debris, or hand-piled natural vegetation on the premises of origin
2. Agricultural procedures for production or harvesting of crops for land tracts under five acres
3. Agricultural procedures for production or harvesting of crops for land tracts over five acres
4. Prescribed burning
5. Recreational purposes
6. Firefighter training
7. Acquired structure burns
8. Vegetative debris from storms
9. Weed abatement, disease and pest prevention
10. Open-flame devices
11. Land clearing, construction and right of way maintenance
12. Packaging materials for explosives
13. Land clearing – burning with air curtain destructor

Certain types of burning are still allowed in some counties. You can find exemptions here.

The burn ban is in effect through Sept. 30.

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