Burn while you can

GAINESVILLE - Time is running out if you have yard cleaning debris that you need to burn before the annual summertime ban on outdoor burning begins in Hall and several other counties in north and central Georgia.

From May 1 through Sept. 30, open burning in Hall County and 53 other counties will not be allowed. The ban has been an annual thing for several years and is not in response to dry weather or expected dry weather. Rather, it is an effort to lower air pollution as much as possible during the hottest months of the year in order to reduce damage to the ozone layer.

The ban covers the 54 counties that comprise the Atlanta Ozone Non-Attainment Area. These counties subject to the ban are: Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Dawson, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lumpkin, Madison, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Richmond, Rockdale, Spalding, Troup, Twiggs, Upson, Walton, and Walker.

This ban prohibits several types of burning:

* Burning of leaves, tree limbs, or other yard wastes.
* Burning of vegetative waste from land clearing.
* Burning over of forestland by the owners of the land.
* Contractor burning.

Some activities, such as campfires and agricultural activities, are exempt.

If you are burning illegal materials or you are burning during the burn ban, you could receive a citation. In Hall County, penalties include fines of from $100-$1,000 and/or up to 30 days in jail.

Remember that burn permits are required in Hall County. To get one, call 770-536-2442. If you need a land clearing permit, call 770-531-6838, 8:00-5:00 Monday-Friday.