Floyd County, GA Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempted
- Cooking with typical grills or smokers
- Also exempted
- Fire department training fires
- Applies even during
- County-wide or area-specific burn bans
- Governing section
- Floyd County Code § 2-10-28(a)
Summary
Unincorporated Floyd County exempts cooking with typical grills or smokers from its open burning ban, under Floyd County Code § 2-10-28(a). Even when the Fire Chief of Rome and Floyd County declares a county-wide burn ban during drought or dangerous fire conditions, backyard grilling and smoking are expressly carved out.
(a)The Fire Chief of Rome and Floyd County, with the approval of the Floyd County Manager and the City of Rome Manager, shall be authorized to ban all open burning of all types, including camp fires, bonfires, and any other open burning, when atmospheric, environmental, drought or other dangerous conditions of any type warrant such ban by creating significant risk of fire. ... Such ban ... shall not include fire department training fires, nor cooking with typical grills or smokers. The fire chief, with the consent of the Floyd County Manager and the City of Rome Manager, shall be authorized to enforce the provisions of this article by the issuance of a citation in violation thereof through the Floyd County Magistrate Court.
Full Breakdown
Section 2-10-28(a) authorizes the Fire Chief of Rome and Floyd County, with the approval of the county and city managers, to ban open burning of all types when atmospheric, environmental, drought or other dangerous conditions create a significant fire risk. That same subsection states the ban 'shall not include fire department training fires, nor cooking with typical grills or smokers,' so a backyard grill or smoker stays legal to use even while a county-wide or area-specific ban is in effect. The exemption applies regardless of whether the ban covers the whole county or is limited to a specific area, since subsection (a) sets the exemption as part of the scope of the ban itself rather than as a separate variance a resident must apply for.
The article is enforced by the fire chief, with the consent of the Floyd County Manager and City of Rome Manager, through citations issued in Floyd County Magistrate Court for conduct that does fall inside the ban's scope.
Violations & Fines
Because grills and smokers are outside the definition of banned open burning, using one during a declared burn ban is not itself a violation of § 2-10-28; the escalating misdemeanor fines under § 2-10-28(d), from $100 for a first offense up to $1,000 and possible jail for a fourth, apply only to open burning the ban actually covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a grill or smoker during a Floyd County burn ban?
Do I need a permit to use a smoker in unincorporated Floyd County?
What counts as 'typical' for the grill and smoker exemption?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Floyd County
Compare Floyd County to another location·View the Georgia outdoor cooking overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.