State-issued outdoor burn ban lifted
by Jeremy Stewart, staff writer
Oct 02, 2012 | 3498 views | 5 5 comments | 10 10 recommendations | email to a friend | print
With the weather turning cooler and falling leaves soon to blanket the ground, homeowners now have the option to burn those pesky piles of tree limbs and yard debris.

The summer burn ban issued for most of North Georgia by the state was lifted Monday as scheduled after being initiated on May 1 and affecting residents of Floyd, Polk, Bartow, Chattooga and surrounding counties.

While Georgians are able to burn outdoors again, Rome-Floyd Fire Chief Gordon Henderson advised that people must still get permission before starting.

“People still need to call like they normally should do and get a burn permit,” Henderson said.

Those inside the city limits of Rome can call the fire marshal’s office at 706-236-4510 while those who live in the county must call the Georgia Forestry Commission at 1-877-OK2-BURN (1-877-652-2876) or go online at www.gatrees.org.

Henderson said there were few problems concerning people obeying the burn ban this summer.

“Most people follow the burn ban, but there are always a few who don’t and we make sure to take care of those,” Henderson said. “They can forget about it or try to get by, but for the most part people do what they are told.”

This year’s burn ban affected 54 Georgia counties and is imposed annually by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Division.
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Comments
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TheSeer
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October 02, 2012
So the rest of us have to suffer so those who are too lazy to bag their leaves and carry them away can inflict their second hand smoke equal to a convenience store full of cigarettes on the rest of us. One of my neighbors, who is a county employee, burns his leaves well away from his house and as close to my property line as he can. Another neighbor who does not work burns his on Saturdays in the ditch right on the street, which means none of us can even walk to our mailboxes or sit on our patios on gthe days of this needless burning exercise. Burning should be banned year round in subdivisions unless you are a half mile from your nearest neighbor.
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gigitygigity
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October 02, 2012
The Ga Forestry website states that you are responsible for your fire and the smoke. If your neighbor is burning that close to your house just call and report them. Someone who is a responsible homeowner will stay with his fire and keep it stirred and burning so as not to produce a lot of smoke. They will not just let the leaves smolder. I burn on my property because I have too many leaves to bag and carry off. Also, the county will only pick up 3 cubic yards of debris once every ninety days. Anything over that amount they will charge you for. I also think that burning in a ditch by a roadway is a violation but I'm not sure. Good luck.
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grasshopper75
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October 02, 2012
Seriously. You have nothing better to do than to gripe and complain because someone is burning their leaves. I bet if they didnt burn them and raked them to the edge of their property line ,you would complain about that. Some people are so rediculous,its not even funny. Get a life,stop worrying about what others do on their property and where they work or if they work.This is still a free country,maybe not for much longer,but for now.
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ElleMOTT
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October 02, 2012
Just run over them a couple of times with the lawn mower and it makes a great mulch! No smoke and makes the soil healthier.
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Trelicious
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October 03, 2012
Yep. You have to deal with it. What do you think about that? No SPLOST to solve your problem this time.
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