Georgia Burn Permit Checker

🪪 Georgia Burn Permit Requirements

• Since July 1, 2021 (SB 119, amending O.C.G.A. §12-6-90), burning hand-piled natural vegetation — leaves and limbs collected on your own property — requires no state burn permit or GFC notification.
• You must still follow GFC safety rules: keep fires 25+ ft from woodlands and 50+ ft from structures, burn only sunrise to sunset, keep water and tools on hand, and stay with the fire until it is fully out.
• GFC burn permits are still required for machine-piled debris, land-clearing, agricultural, and silvicultural burns — call 1-800-GA-TREES (1-800-428-7337) or visit gatrees.org.
• Local county or city ordinances may add stricter rules, and 54 North Georgia counties are under the EPD summer burn ban (May 1–Sept 30).
• Permits and notifications are automatically denied on Red Flag Warning days — never burn on windy days.

📊 How This Tool Works

We combine two live data sources: NWS active weather alerts (Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches) for your specific county, and Georgia Forestry Commission fire danger ratings from South Georgia weather stations. Fire danger class runs 1 (Low) to 5 (Extreme). Historical GFC data is stored daily from the date this tool launched. NWS historical alerts are available for recent dates.

This tool gives guidance only. Hand-piled natural yard debris (leaves and limbs) no longer requires a permit in Georgia — just follow GFC safety rules (adequate spacing from woods and structures, attend the fire until fully out, burn only between sunrise and sunset) and check local ordinances. Machine-piled, land-clearing, agricultural, or silvicultural burns still require contacting the Georgia Forestry Commission at 1-800-GA-TREES (1-800-428-7337) or gatrees.org.