Chattooga County residents will once again be able to burn certain yard debris beginning next week as Georgia’s annual summer open-burning ban comes to an end.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s summer burn ban remains in effect through September 30, meaning the restrictions will end at midnight next Wednesday. Beginning October 1, residents may resume certain types of outdoor burning, provided they follow state fire-safety requirements.

Chattooga is one of 54 Georgia counties covered by the annual ban, which runs from May 1 through September 30. The restriction is intended to reduce pollutants that contribute to ground-level ozone during the warmer months.

Once the ban ends, residents burning hand-piled natural vegetation collected on their own property, including leaves and yard debris, do not need a Georgia Forestry Commission burn permit. However, five safety requirements must be followed.

Burn piles must be at least 25 feet from woodlands, forestland or fields containing flammable vegetation and at least 50 feet from homes, barns, sheds or other structures. Burning must take place between sunrise and sunset, someone must remain with the fire until it is completely extinguished, and reasonable precautions must be taken to prevent the fire from escaping.

Permits are still required for several other types of burning, including certain agricultural, forestry and land-clearing operations. Residents should also check for any additional local or temporary fire restrictions before burning.

The end of the summer ban does not make burning household garbage legal. Georgia prohibits the outdoor burning of household garbage and man-made materials such as tires, plastics, shingles and lumber year-round, including burning those materials in a burn barrel.

The summer burn ban also covers neighboring Floyd, Walker and Gordon counties, along with several other Northwest Georgia counties.

For Chattooga County residents, the current restrictions remain in place through September 30, with permitted fall burning activities resuming October 1.