Outdoor burn ban goes into effect May 1

ATLANTA - A state-mandated ban on outdoor burning goes into effect Wednesday, May 1 in more than 50 Georgia counties, including Hall, Forsyth, Barrow, Jackson, Lumpkin and Gwinnett.

The prohibition lasts through September 30 and has been a summertime fixture in many of the counties for several years. The ban prohibits all outdoor burning including the burning of leaves, trash, yard debris and storm damage.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) imposes the ban on outdoor burning to comply with Federal Clean Air Regulations. During the summer months in Georgia, the ozone in the air can reach unhealthy levels, according to EPD, and open burning has been identified as a significant contributor of the pollutants that form ozone.