Burn ban ends in Georgia

The state's seasonal burn ban ends today.

But burning trash can be dangerous right now, with an increase of fire spreading due to extremely dry weather.

Officials say people should not burn when there are high winds and low humidity, according to the Associated Press.

The ban lasted from May 1 to September 30.

The state imposed it to cut down on air pollution.

State fire officials change tactics in drought

State firefighting officials are considering changes in tactics to save water. State Fire Commissioner John Oxendine is ordering inspections of sprinkler systems to be done without flushing water through them, and he proposes moving firefighter training facilities to south Georgia where the drought is less severe. The group also sought water savings by extending the state’s outdoor burning ban, which ended October 1, in order to avoid fires.

Total burn ban in NW Georgia

Severe drought conditions have forced state forestry officials to extend a burn ban throughout northwest Georgia, just as the fall leaf-burning season begins.

The summer restrictions on burning were lifted for much of Georgia. However, for 15 northwest counties, officials had no choice but to turn restrictions into a total ban--no burning of any kind, no exceptions.

Mike Brunson is chief ranger for the Georgia Forestry’s Floyd County unit. He says the lack of rain is the worst he’s seen in his 24-year career.

"It’s going to have to be some kind of major cold front that comes through and covers a large area. Or, what sometimes happens this time of year...we get the leftovers of a hurricane that drops a significant amount of rainfall".

Some counties in northwest Georgia have significant rainfall deficits. Floyd for one, is more than 25 inches below normal for this time of year.

Officials will revisit the indefinite ban with the next big rainfall.