Chattanooga, TN Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Chattanooga City Code Chapter 21 (Property Maintenance Code), Article IV (Exterior Requirements), requires that all premises with grass, underbrush, or weeds be maintained at a height of less than 10 inches. Vacant or overgrown properties are abated by the city after a 10-day Public Nuisance notice, with the cost of cutting placed as a lien on the property. The City has adopted the International Fire Code through Chapter 17 (Fire Prevention), which addresses ignition sources, but Tennessee does not impose California-style Wildland-Urban Interface defensible-space requirements (such as 100-foot clearance zones). Open burning of natural vegetation requires a burn permit from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau (APCB) at (423) 643-5970. Permits are issued only during the burning season of October 1 through April 30, cost $60 inside city limits ($10 in unincorporated Hamilton County), and require an inspection prior to issuance for city addresses. Burn piles are limited to 8 ft x 8 ft x 8 ft with material no larger than 12 inches in diameter, and only material generated on-site may be burned. Burning paper, treated wood, plastics, tires, and household garbage is prohibited. Civil penalties for violation can reach $25,000 per day.