Hall County, GA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Hall County, GA, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Key Facts
- Exceptions
- 7 listed activities exempt from ban
- Land-clearing pile cap
- 60 ft by 60 ft per 9 acres
- Daily volume cap
- 100 cu yd without fire marshal notice
- Smoke limit
- No darker than Ringelmann Chart #2
- Air pollution episodes
- All open burning halted
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Section 8.110.010 bans open burning anywhere in unincorporated Hall County unless it fits one of seven listed exceptions, from agricultural burning to firefighter training fires. Section 8.110.050 layers on distance, attendance and permit conditions, and the fire marshal can shut burning down entirely during declared air pollution episodes under § 8.110.040.
No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit open burning at any place in the unincorporated areas of the county except as follows: A.Carrying out recognized agricultural procedures necessary for production or harvesting of crops;B.The burning over of any forest land by the owners of such land;C.For recreational purposes or cooking food for immediate human consumption;D.Fires set for purposes of training fire-fighting personnel when authorized by the appropriate governmental entity and the guidelines set forth by the fire marshal are strictly observed;E.Operation of devices using open flames such as tar kettles, blow torches, welding torches, portable heaters and other flame-making equipment;F.Setting and maintenance by contractors and tradesman of miscellaneous small fires necessary to such activities as street paving work, and installation or repair of utilities, provided that such fires are kept small in size, that no smoke emissions exceed 40 percent opacity, and that local ordinances and regulations do not prohibit such actions;G.Disposal of all packing materials previously containing explosives, in accordance with U.S. Department of Labor Safety regulations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
010, including recognized agricultural crop procedures, burning over of forest land by its owner, recreational fires or cooking food for immediate human consumption, authorized fire-fighting training, open-flame equipment such as tar kettles and welding torches, small contractor fires tied to street paving or utility work kept under 40 percent smoke opacity, and disposal of explosives packing material under federal labor rules. 020 separately allows leaf burning on the premises where the leaves fell, demolition and construction debris burning, storm-damaged tree limb disposal, weed and pest-control burning, and land-clearing burns in non-residential areas, the last capped at one 60-by-60-foot pile per nine acres and 100 cubic yards a day unless the fire marshal gets two days' written notice.
030. 040 shuts down all open burning except for official duties, hazard mitigation, or public-health necessity. 050 layers a permit requirement, structure-distance rules, and a constant-attendant duty (with a garden hose or extinguisher on hand) onto any burning that is otherwise authorized, and lets the fire marshal further restrict or ban burning when weather or local conditions make it hazardous.
Violations & Fines
Burning in violation of Chapter 8.110, including igniting a fire without a required permit or during a declared air pollution episode, is a misdemeanor under § 8.110.060, tried in Hall County Magistrate or State Court. Conviction carries the Code's general penalty of up to a $1,000.00 fine, up to six months in jail, or both under § 1.50.020, with each day of continued burning charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is open burning allowed at all in unincorporated Hall County?
Can the county stop burning during smoggy weather?
How big can a land-clearing burn pile be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hall County
How Hall County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Hall County to another location·View the Georgia fire regulations overview
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