Fire Marshal's Office

If you have a complaint or problem regarding burning in your area, please call 911

Burning Banned May 1 - September 30

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has issued a ban on open burning May 1 – September 30 of each year. Fifty-four counties in Georgia (including Cobb County) are affected. Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services are responsible for the enforcement of this state-issued burning ban in unincorporated Cobb County, and the cities of Acworth, Kennesaw, and Powder Springs. From May 1 – September 30, you may not burn leaves, tree limbs, or other yard waste, forest land, or use air curtain destructors for land clearing. Permits: Bonfire Permits - (770) 528 8310 Commercial Burn Permits - (770) 528-8315

Ordinance: Cobb County Code *  * Navigation Instructions: - Click on Section 54 - Click on Article VII - Choose Sections 54-111 through 54-118 Download: Newly Adopted Outdoor Burn Ordinance effective 2/24/09

Burning Allowed October 1 - April 30
Open burning is allowed October 1 - April 30 of each year. During this time, you may burn limited yard debris (leaves, pine straw, and small limbs from growth on your property) and land clearing using an air curtain destructor. The following restrictions for burning also apply:

Burning is allowed between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and one hour before sunset (no smoldering or hot coals remaining).

No burning is allowed on windy days (10 mph or higher) or on days when the atmospheric conditions (cloudy, overcast, or raining) would cause the smoke to remain low to the ground. Cobb Fire uses wind speeds from McCollum Field, Dobbins AFB, and Brown Field to determine wind speed.

Burning must be attended by an adult who must be watching the fire at all times. Never leave a fire unattended.

A water hose long enough to reach the fire must be on hand, and be ready to use if needed.

Fires may not be started with petroleum-based products.

Yard waste (small) fire must be at least 50 feet from all structures, including fences of combustible material, limbs no more than 6” diameter, pile not more than 6’ x  6’, at least 25’ from roads with speed limits greater than 35 mph.

Burning in a barrel is prohibited.


Permits are required for:

Please allow 5-7 business days to obtain a permit for a Bonfire or Yard Waste (large) fire.

Yard waste (large) fire must be 100’ from property line, 300 feet from structure, limbs not more than 12” diameter, pile not more than 12’x 12’. Call 770-528-8310 for permit information.

Bonfires--call 770-528-8310 for permit information.

Land clearing using an air curtain destructor call 770-528 – 8315 for permit information.ard waste (large) fire must be 100’ from property line, 300 feet from structure, limbs not more than 12” diameter, pile not more than 12’ x 12’. Call 770-528-8310 for permit information.

You may not burn garbage, which means any waste material that includes but is not limited to plastic products, Styrofoam, fiberglass, recycling wire (burned to access metal), tires, clothing, furniture, mattresses, boxes, papers, stumps, root balls, and kudzu vines. Any material that is moved from one location to a different property cannot be burned. For information regarding alternative methods to dispose of yard waste, contact the Georgia Environmental Protection Division at 404-362-2537.

You can burn logs or clean wood. Clean wood means natural wood which has not been painted, varnished, or coated with a similar material; has not been pressure treated with preservatives; and does not contain resins or glues as in plywood or other composite wood products.

Please understand that even if you follow all of the guidelines for burning, you may be required to extinguish the fire if it adversely interferes with another’s enjoyment of life, use of property, or if someone with a health problem is affected
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NOTE: During the burning period, fire officials may prohibit burning at times when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make burning hazardous.

Penalties and Fines

Permit Not Required, Unauthorized Outdoor Burning:

First Violation: Advised of corrective actions, written warning.

Second Violation: Including failure to correct first violation, summons issued and a fine of $100.00 assessed.

Third Violation: Including failure to correct prior violations, summons issued and a fine of $250.00 assessed.

Fourth Violation: Including failure to correct prior violations, summons issued and a fine of $500.00 assessed.

Fifth and any Subsequent Violations: Including failure to correct prior violations, summons issued and a fine of $ 1,000.00 assessed and/or six months in jail.

Permit Required, Bonfire, Land Clearing, Yard Waste (large):

First Violation: Summons shall be issued and a fine of $500.00 will be assessed.

Second Violation: Summons shall be issued and a fine of $1,000.00 assessed.

Third and any Subsequent Violations: Summons shall be issued and a fine of $1,000.00 assessed and/or six months in jail.

For more information regarding the burning ban or air quality control, visit the Fire Department’s website at www.cobbfire.org and navigate to the Fire Marshal’s section, or contact the Georgia Environmental Protection Division at 404-363-7000 or 404-362-2671.

Types of Fires Allowed All Year

Certain types of fires are allowed all year, even during the burn ban, as listed below.

Recreational fire means an outdoor fire in which only logs or clean wood are being burned and has a total fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height for pleasure, religious ceremonial, cooking, warmth or similar purposes, and which is not used to dispose of garbage or yard waste.
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Recreational fires are allowed between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.
—No recreational burning is allowed on windy days (10 mph or higher) or on days when the atmospheric conditions (cloudy, overcast, or raining) would cause the smoke to remain low to the ground.

—Recreational fires must be attended by an adult who must be watching the fire at all times. Never leave the fire unattended.

—A water hose or fire extinguisher must be on hand that can reach the fire, and can be ready to use if needed.

—Recreational fires must be at least 25 feet from all structures.

Recreational fires shall not be started with petroleum-based products. 

—Some common sense shall be used when determining if a fire qualifies as a recreational fire. People sitting around a small campfire would be considered a recreational fire. A homeowner with a large pile of brush in their yard and frequently having a small fire is not a recreational fire.

Bonfire – an outdoor fire larger than a recreational fire in which only logs or clean wood are being burned for ceremonial purposes. A bonfire permit is required to be issued by the Cobb County Fire Marshal’s Office. Please call 770-528-8310 to request an inspection and obtain a bonfire permit. Bonfires must be 50’ from structures, 100’ from property lines, and completely out by 10:30 p.m.
Types of Fires Exempt from the Burn Ordinance

Fires burned for the purpose of cooking food for immediate human consumption, e.g., barbecue grill or pit.

Fires in an outdoor fireplace, chimenea, fire bowl, or other similar device burning logs or clean wood only. If you have a complaint or problem regarding burning in your area, please call 911.

Restricted Burn Areas Additionally, there are several locations in Cobb County designated as restricted burn areas. Please see the map links below for the current burn ban locations. (Map files are large, if you are on a slow internet connection, it could take a couple of minutes to download)

Area of Cobb County (pdf )	Closest Intersection
North Cobb	Andy Dr. at Kurtz Rd.
North East Cobb	Arbor Oaks Dr at First Drive
North East Cobb	Cedar Valley Dr at Westmoreland Dr
North East Cobb	Channing Ct at Melrose Dr.
North East Cobb	Chergourg Way at Hembree Rd
North East Cobb	Emory Dr at Shallowford Rd.
North East Cobb	Fairgreen Dr. at Fairgreen Ln
North East Cobb	Heatherleigh Ct at Pinehurst Ln
North East Cobb	Haverhill Rd at Newell Dr.
North East Cobb	Jamerson Forest Cir at Jamerson Landing
North East Cobb	Little Willeo Rd at Willeo Estates Dr.
North East Cobb	Ramsey Dr. at Shallowford Rd.
North East Cobb	Skylane Dr. at Daffodil Dr.
North East Cobb	Spring Creek Way at emory Lane
North East Cobb	Sewell Mill Rd at Plasant View Cir
North East Cobb	Valley Green Dr. at Highgreen Dr
North West Cobb	Edgewood Dr at Sherry Lane
North West Cobb	Hollowbrooke Trail at McLain Rd.
North West Cobb	Howard Dr at Loring Rd.
North West Cobb	Marie Ct at Danielle Ct
North West Cobb	Sharpel Ln at Owens Rd
North West Cobb	Moutain Oak Rd at Kennesaw Due West
South Cobb	Woodward Rd at Concord Rd
South Cobb	Woodward Cir at Mable Lake Dr.
South Cobb	Vanya La. at Marcia Dr.
South Cobb	Zanola Rd at Lake Circle
South East Cobb	Westwood Ln at Atlanta Rd
South West Cobb	Briarleigh Chase at Nickajack Rd
South West Cobb	Caley Mill dr at Macedonia Rd
South West Cobb	Churchhill Ct at Pentry Rd
South West Cobb	Fern Valley Dr. at Tiffany Dr.
South West Cobb	Walnut Cir at Birchwood Way
South West Cobb	Doby Lane at Clay Rd
West Cobb	Peacedale Ct. at Ellis Farm Dr.