Live fire restrictions & Red Flag Warnings · National Weather Service
🔴 Red Flag Warning
Critical fire weather — extreme danger, high winds, low humidity. Burning is typically banned statewide and by county.
🟠 Fire Weather Watch
Dangerous conditions developing within 24–72 hrs. Monitor for upgrade to Red Flag Warning and imminent restrictions.
⚠️ County bans may differ
Georgia county burn bans and USFS Stage 1–3 restrictions are separate — always confirm with your local fire authority.
Checking Georgia fire-weather alerts…
The NWS map above shows fire-weather alerts — for the legally binding burn ban status, go directly to the official Georgia source:
Georgia Forestry CommissionBurn permits & notificationsOpen official source ↗Also check your county government website — a county burn ban can be in effect even when Georgia has no statewide restriction.
🚫 Prohibited
✓ Usually Still Allowed
Always confirm with the issuing agency — specific orders vary.
County burn bans in Georgia are issued separately from state-level restrictions — a county can be under a burn ban even when the rest of the state is not. County commissioners, the county fire marshal, or the county judge typically issue these orders, and they are not reflected in NWS alerts shown on the map above.
Georgia Forestry Commission posts active county-level burn bans.
Georgia Burn Bans — Georgia Forestry CommissionView county map ↗Federal land managers use a tiered system that escalates as fire danger increases. Stage restrictions apply only to the land they are issued for — your county may have a separate burn ban on private land.
Open burning prohibited. Campfires may still be allowed in designated fire rings at developed campgrounds. Portable gas and pressurized-liquid stoves are typically allowed in cleared areas.
All open fires prohibited — including campfires in developed campgrounds. Gas stoves may be allowed in cleared areas. Chainsaw use and motorized off-road vehicles restricted.
Maximum restriction before full closure. All fires may be prohibited. Motorized vehicle use off designated roads, shooting, and spark-producing tools are typically banned.
State or county-level complete ban on all open burning — campfires, burn barrels, brush and agricultural burning. Gas and propane grills for cooking are usually still allowed.
Area is fully closed — no public access or fire-related activity of any kind is permitted.
Typically equivalent to Stage 1. Open burning prohibited; campfires in developed campgrounds may still be allowed. Common on BLM land in NV, OR, and ID.
Agency-specific restriction with unique terms. Always read the specific order from the issuing land management office — scope varies significantly.
Oregon ODF Industrial Fire Precaution Level — applies to industrial operations (logging, equipment) on ODF-protected state and private forestland. IFPL I is the lowest level; IFPL IV is the most restrictive. Separate from USFS campfire restrictions.
Restriction scope and exact prohibitions vary by agency and order. Always confirm with the issuing land management office or visit the official source linked above.
As of July 1, 2021, hand-piled natural yard debris (leaves and limbs only) no longer requires a GFC permit under Senate Bill 119. However, permits ARE required for machine-piled burns, land-clearing, agricultural burns, silviculture burns, air curtain destructor use, and storm debris burning. Permits are issued at no charge by contacting your local GFC county office by calling 1-800-GA-TREES (1-800-428-7337). Permits are valid only for the day they are issued.
Get Georgia burning permit ↗Or call the Georgia forestry hotline: 1-800-GA-TREES (1-800-428-7337)
Georgia's primary wildfire season runs from January through April, when dormant vegetation, low humidity, and seasonal winds create dangerous burning conditions — particularly in the longleaf pine flatwoods and wiregrass ecosystems of south Georgia. A secondary fall season occurs in October through December. In April 2026, Governor Kemp declared a State of Emergency for 91 counties in response to wildfires driven by exceptional drought, and the GFC issued a blanket burn ban for all of south Georgia.
Statewide or regional burn bans and open-burning suspensions on state and private land.
County-wide burn bans — the level that most often affects homeowners and is easy to miss.
Stage 1–3 fire restrictions and closures on national forests, parks, and other federal land.
Municipal open-burning rules, fireworks bans, and local red-flag restrictions.
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The live map and status strip above show active Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches from the National Weather Service for Georgia. For the legally binding answer, check the official Georgia source: Georgia Forestry Commission at https://gatrees.org/burn-permits-and-notifications/. Also confirm with your county — a county burn ban can be in effect even when no statewide restriction exists.
During an active burn ban, Georgia prohibits: All open burning in 54 specified northern Georgia counties from May 1 through September 30 (EPD summer ban); Burning on high fire danger days (Classes 4-5 on the GFC fire weather scale); Machine-piled debris burns, land-clearing burns, and air curtain destructor use without a GFC permit; Agricultural and silviculture burns without a GFC permit; Any burning during a State Forester or Governor-declared emergency burn ban; Yard debris burning in the 54-county summer ban zone (May 1 through September 30); Burning vegetative storm debris without proper notification or permit. Typically still allowed: Hand-piled natural yard debris (leaves and limbs only) does not require a GFC permit as of July 1, 2021 (Senate Bill 119); Propane and gas grills for food preparation at any time; Charcoal grills in compliance with local ordinances; Certified prescribed burns with proper GFC permit and compliance with local ordinances; Burning outside the 54-county summer ban zone from October 1 through April 30 with proper notification. Always verify the specific order with Georgia Forestry Commission — prohibited activities can vary by jurisdiction and restriction level.
Gas and propane grills used for cooking on private residential property are typically allowed during a Georgia burn ban. Charcoal grills may be permitted in calm conditions but check the specific order. Wood-fired grills, outdoor fire pits, and campfires are usually prohibited. Always verify with Georgia Forestry Commission before lighting anything.
Multiple authorities can issue burn bans in Georgia independently: Georgia Forestry Commission for statewide or regional orders; State Forester (Georgia Forestry Commission Director) issues county and regional burn bans; Georgia EPD administers the statutory 54-county summer open-burning ban; local fire departments may enforce additional county ordinances for county-wide bans that affect most homeowners; federal land managers (U.S. Forest Service, BLM, NPS) for Stage 1–3 restrictions on federal land; and cities or local fire districts for additional local rules. A county burn ban can be active even with no statewide restriction — always check both.
Burn bans in Georgia have no fixed duration — they are issued when fire danger is high and lifted when conditions improve, which can happen overnight or persist for weeks during drought. Red Flag Warnings from the NWS typically last 24–48 hours. State and county burn bans are lifted separately. Check the issuing agency daily during dry, windy conditions.
Georgia's primary wildfire season runs from January through April, when dormant vegetation, low humidity, and seasonal winds create dangerous burning conditions — particularly in the longleaf pine flatwoods and wiregrass ecosystems of south Georgia. A secondary fall season occurs in October through December. In April 2026, Governor Kemp declared a State of Emergency for 91 counties in response to wildfires driven by exceptional drought, and the GFC issued a blanket burn ban for all of south Georgia.
As of July 1, 2021, hand-piled natural yard debris (leaves and limbs only) no longer requires a GFC permit under Senate Bill 119. However, permits ARE required for machine-piled burns, land-clearing, agricultural burns, silviculture burns, air curtain destructor use, and storm debris burning. Permits are issued at no charge by contacting your local GFC county office by calling 1-800-GA-TREES (1-800-428-7337). Permits are valid only for the day they are issued.
Violating a Georgia burn ban can result in: Burning without required permit: misdemeanor under O.C.G.A. 12-6-90, punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine up to $1,000; Unlawful Burn Notice may be issued and wildfire suppression costs charged to the responsible party; Civil liability for all firefighting costs when unauthorized burn causes or contributes to a wildfire; Violation of the 54-county EPD summer burning ban may result in administrative fines from the Environmental Protection Division; Burning of woodlands without authorization may result in misdemeanor charges under O.C.G.A. 12-6-145.
Sign up for free FireRisk.ai fire alerts below — we'll notify you when the NWS issues a Red Flag Warning for your area of Georgia. For county burn ban alerts, register with your county emergency management system (Nixle, Everbridge, or your county's sign-up page). Monitor Georgia Forestry Commission at https://gatrees.org/burn-permits-and-notifications/ for statewide orders.
FireRisk.ai aggregates live fire-weather alerts from the National Weather Service and links to official Georgia agency sources. Burn ban status changes daily — always confirm with the official source and your county before any outdoor burning. This page is for awareness only and is not an official or legal notice. For fire emergencies call 911.
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