Smyrna, GA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Section 50-7 bans outside burning of rubbish and yard waste at any time within the city limits. Section 50-27 defines yard waste as leaves, kudzu, pine straw, dry brush and limbs that have fallen or been cut from growth on one's own property. Rubbish is any waste material other than charcoal or clean wood, including plastic products, styrofoam, tires, painted or varnished wood, furniture, mattresses, boxes and paper.

The one route for burning wood is the residential burn permit in Sec. 50-7(1)b. It allows burning clean wood only, meaning natural wood that is not painted, varnished, coated, pressure treated or bound with resins or glues. Permits are issued only from October 1 through March 30, and can be used only from 9:00 a.m. until one hour before the official time of sunset. A permit does not cover leaves, clean wood bigger than six inches in diameter, plastic, rubber, rubbish or trash. The permit must be obtained in advance through the fire department, on forms or through electronic media provided by the city. A denial must be in writing, and the applicant can appeal to the license and variance board within 30 days of the date of the denial.

Subsection (2) adds safeguards: burning petroleum-based products such as tires, plastics and roof shingles, which produce black smoke, is prohibited, and so is burning any material in a barrel. Fire department practice burns following state and local codes are exempt.

Under subsection (3), the fire chief or designee is authorized to ban outdoor burning on three grounds: atmospheric or local conditions make burning hazardous, it adversely interferes with the enjoyment of life or use of property, or a resident is adversely affected by the smoke due to a medical condition. Recreational fires and cooking are covered in separate items of the same section. The current text reflects amendments through Ord. No. 2021-13.