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Fire Regulations in Decatur, GA (2026)

3 verified fire regulations for Decatur, Georgia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Fire Pits & Backyard Fires

Decatur, Georgia allows recreational fires only in commercially available chimineas or outdoor fireplaces under UDO Sec. 10.2.1.B.10. They must burn only untreated wood, lumber, manufactured logs, or charcoal, sit on a non-combustible surface, and stay at least 25 feet from combustible construction, never on a balcony.

Decatur GA Chiminea and Fire Pit Rules

Some Restrictions

Decatur Unified Development Ordinance § 10.2.1.B.10

No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit open burning of leaves, rubbish or trash of any kind, or any other open burning in any area of the City except as follows: ... 10.Recreational fires in commercially available chimineas or outdoor fireplaces.a.Chimineas or outdoor fireplaces shall be used according to their intended use, and the manufacturer's recommendations.b.Chimineas or outdoor...

Outdoor Burning

Decatur, Georgia bans open burning of leaves, rubbish, or trash citywide under UDO Sec. 10.2.1.B, with narrow carve-outs for cooking fires, contractor work, supervised land-clearing burns kept 1,000 feet from residential structures, and fire department training. Sky lanterns and floating luminaries are flatly prohibited.

Decatur GA Open Burning Ban and Exceptions

Significant Restrictions

Decatur Unified Development Ordinance § 10.2.1.B

No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit open burning of leaves, rubbish or trash of any kind, or any other open burning in any area of the City except as follows: ... 4.Open burning in other than predominantly residential areas for the purpose of land clearing or construction or right-of-way maintenance, provided the following conditions are met:5.Prevailing winds at the time of burning...

Smoke Detectors

Under the Fire Alarm Code, UDO Sec. 10.2.4.G, every structure in Decatur, Georgia that is newly built, substantially renovated, or reclassified must have smoke or heat detectors in workrooms, break rooms, corridors, waiting rooms, conference rooms, and copy rooms, plus a building-wide audible alarm except in single-family homes.

Decatur GA Smoke Detector Requirements

Some Restrictions

Decatur Unified Development Ordinance § 10.2.4.G

Every structure built, substantially renovated or having its occupancy classification changed shall have smoke detectors, heat detectors, rate of rise heat detectors or a combination thereof installed in the locations identifies below. Such detectors shall be installed in accordance with the NFPA standards described in Sec. 10.2.4.E.a.Workroomsb.Break roomsc.Corridors and hallwaysd.Waiting room...

Looking for DeKalb County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Decatur city rules.

Fire Regulations in DeKalb County