East Cobb residents can resume burning yard debris starting Thursday, Oct. 1, when the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) lifts the annual outdoor burning ban across Cobb and 53 other north Georgia counties.
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) imposes the ban each year from May 1 through September to limit ground-level ozone during the hottest months. The GFC announced the Oct. 1 lift date on Friday, Sept. 25.
"The fall months offer better air quality for burning," GFC Director and State Forester John Sabo said. "Anyone wishing to use fire outside must be keenly aware of local conditions and fire safety."
The ban lifts as wildfire activity is running well above last year's pace. Georgia has already recorded 2,280 wildfires in 2026, burning more than 20,533 acres statewide, according to a GFC social media post. Those year-to-date figures represent 52.9% more fires and 112% more acres burned compared with the same period last year. More than half of Georgia's wildfires start from careless debris burning, according to the GFC.
No permit needed for leaf and limb piles, but rules still apply
Under state law, hand-piled natural vegetation such as leaves and limbs no longer requires a burn permit. Residents must still follow the GFC's "S-S-T-A-R" safety rules:
- Space (woodlands): Keep fire at least 25 feet from woodlands.
- Space (structures): Keep fire at least 50 feet from any structure.
- Time: Burn only between sunrise and sunset.
- Attendance: Stay on-site until the fire is fully out.
- Reasonable precautions: Have suppression tools ready and monitor weather conditions.
GFC Forest Protection Chief Thomas Barrett warned that burners remain legally responsible for any fire that escapes. He said there must be proof that safety precautions were taken in advance if a wildfire results from a debris burn.
What stays off-limits in Cobb
Cobb County faces tighter rules than many Georgia counties because of its population size. Even after Oct. 1, three categories of burning remain prohibited through April under EPD open burning rules: vegetative storm debris, weed abatement and pest prevention, and land clearing or construction-related burns.
Burning man-made materials like tires, plastics, lumber, shingles or household garbage is illegal year-round statewide, even in a burn barrel.
Agriculture, land-clearing and prescribed burns still require a permit or notification through the GFC at 1-800-GA-TREES (428-7337).
Key dates
- Thursday, Oct. 1: Burn ban lifts for Cobb and 53 other north Georgia counties.
- Oct. 1 through April 30: Three burn categories remain prohibited in Cobb: storm debris, weed abatement and land-clearing burns.
- May 1, 2027: Next annual summer burn ban expected to begin.
