The statewide burn ban for Georgia is lifted as of Wednesday, Oct. 1, according to the Covington Fire Department.

It is now acceptable to burn natural yard debris in small quantities on your property.

Jonathan Fuqua, Fire Education Specialist with the Covington Fire Department, still urges residents to contact 1-877-ok2-burn (1-877-652-2876) for a permit outside of the city limits of Covington. If you live inside the city limits, please call 770-3852-2100 for a city burn permit.

Any questions concerning burn permits inside the city limits can be answered by calling 770-385-2100.

Burning safety tips

Piles no larger than 4ft x 4ft

A minimum of 50’ from any type of structure

Always keep a water supply near the fire for flare ups and to keep it under control

Never leave a fire unattended

Fire shall be extinguished 30 minutes before dark

It is always safe to build a barrier around the fire using a non combustible material such as dirt or rocks to keep the fire

from spreading to other areas of the property.

Items that are illegal to burn due to toxic fumes being produced are:

Sawn lumber “building materials”

Tires

Plastics/Rubber

Clothing

Furniture