Henry County, GA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Henry 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
- Default rule
- Open burning prohibited countywide
- Yard-debris burn window
- 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., no Sundays
- Yard-debris pile cap
- 6 ft x 6 ft x 5 ft, one at a time
- Commercial burn setback
- 1,000 feet from any dwelling
- Seasonal commercial permit window
- October 1 to April 30 only
- Maximum fine
- $1,000.00 per day, per violation
Summary
Henry County bans open burning countywide except for narrow listed uses: cooking, firefighter training, approved flame equipment, contractor warming fires, permitted yard-debris burns, and permitted commercial land-clearing burns, each with its own conditions.
(a)No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit open burning in any area of the county, except as follows:(1)For cooking food for immediate human consumption;(2)Fires set for the purpose of training fire-fighting personnel when authorized by the Henry County Fire Chief or Fire Marshal... (g)Burning prohibitions.(1)Burning of petroleum-based products not limited to tires, plastics, construction materials, and roof shingles, which produce black smoke, is prohibited.(2)Burning of garbage of any kind is prohibited.(3)No burning is allowed on windy days (ten (10) miles per hour sustained or higher) or on days when the atmospheric conditions (cloudy, overcast, or raining) would cause the smoke to remain low to the ground.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44).
Full Breakdown
Section 3-4-113(a) starts from a blanket prohibition on open burning anywhere in the county, then lists the only exceptions: cooking food for immediate consumption, authorized firefighter training fires, approved flame-producing equipment like torches and portable heaters, small contractor warming fires, and residential yard-debris burning. , is barred on Sundays and within 100 feet of any structure, requires a constantly present adult of at least 18, a garden hose or fire extinguisher within 50 feet, and a Georgia Forestry Commission permit for each burn day. Commercial burning for land clearing or right-of-way work needs a fire marshal permit, must sit at least 1,000 feet from any dwelling in a residential area, and is limited to the October 1 through April 30 window; outside that window domestic and commercial burning is prohibited entirely.
Burning of petroleum products, tires, plastics, construction material, roof shingles, or garbage is barred outright, as is any burning on windy days of 10 mph sustained or higher or when low, overcast conditions would trap smoke near the ground. The fire chief or fire marshal can impose extra precautions or a full local ban whenever burning otherwise permitted threatens public safety, and can order any burning fire extinguished immediately.
Violations & Fines
A first violation draws a written notice as adequate legal notice of the regulations; a second violation by the same person or entity triggers immediate legal action. Violators face a fine of up to $1,000.00 per day per violation, up to 60 days in jail, or both, and the county may still pursue legal remedies to recover firefighting or burn-pile extinguishing costs regardless of whether a permit was held.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is open burning legal in Henry County?
What permit do I need to burn yard debris?
Can businesses burn debris from land clearing?
What can never be burned in Henry County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Henry County
How Henry County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Henry County to another location·View the Georgia fire regulations overview
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