The Georgia Forestry Commission has put in place an outdoor burn ban for businesses and residents across 54 counties, mainly in the northern part of the state.
The measure, which took effect on Sunday morning, runs through September 30th. The state asks affected residents not to burn "yard and land-clearing debris."
According to environmental officials, the smoke harms the state's air quality because it pushes ozone levels higher. "These conditions have been linked to lung and heart disease in humans," the agency said in a press release.
“These restrictions are required by the state Environmental Protection Division, so less particulate matter is released into the air,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Protection Chief Frank Sorrells. “The risk of wildfire is also high at this time, and the Georgia Forestry Commission will be closely monitoring fire activity to keep Georgians and their property safe.”
The 54 Georgia counties affected 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, Walker, and Walton.
A separate statewide ban on burning garbage is in place year-round. You can read more here.
