HARLEM, Ga. – Depending on where you live, you may need to call the States Forestry Commission to obtain a permit. 

Burning trash in both South Carolina and Georgia is illegal, and fine may follow. 

On the other hand, burning vegetation is a different story. In Georgia, burning of personal vegetation piles is allowed, without a permit, as long as there is not a burn ban. In South Carolina, burning vegetation is only allowed with a permit. 

However, there are specific months of the year that are off-limits to burning, with exception of burn permits for agriculture reasons. Just make sure to call your State's Forestry Commission to get a permit during burn ban seasons. 

According to Carolyn Blose, the main reasons are due to preventing wildfires and air quality control.

 “Every year in the hot summer months they put in the burn ban, the EPD puts it in because it’s going to be so extra hot and the humidity, it helps to control the pollutants and the air quality control,” said Blose, “We just recommend that people get a permit the morning that they are going to burn that way our weather is accurate, we know what the wind is going to do. And we can tell they, hey the wind is up too high today, I would really strongly advise against this.”

For more information and to stay up to date on burn permits and burn bans, check out your States Forestry website, linked below. 

SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY COMMISSION WEBSITE:

GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION WEBSITE:

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