NAHUNTA — During the June monthly meeting of the Brantley County Commission, commissioners voted to end the county-wide burn restrictions previously in place.
They encouraged citizens to still contact Georgia Forestry and their local fire department before conducting any burns.
Recent rain has provided some much needed relief, though much of Georgia is still in varying states of drought. As of the writing of this article, roughly 6.6 percent of the state is under a state of Extreme Drought, down from 80.7% last month.
The Georgia Forestry and the Nahunta Fire Department gave clarification about the precautions residents should take when burning.
According to Wendy Burnett, Public Relations Director for Georgia Forestry, piles of sticks, limbs and yard debris able to be piled by hand do not require a permit from Georgia Forestry. However, when it comes to larger piles and clearing done with machinery, residents need to check with both the county and Georgia Forestry.
When burning, Georgia Forestry encourages following its SSTAR program. The key points of the SSTAR program are:
• Space: Keep a safe distance between your burn pile and anything that can burn.
• Space: Make sure there is enough cleared space around the burn area.
• Time: Only burn when weather conditions are safe. Avoid windy or extremely dry days.
• Attendance: Never leave a fire unattended. Stay with your burn until it is completely out.
• Reasonable precautions: Have water hoses, rakes, shovels, or other tools nearby.
Small piles of debris piled by hand consisting of sticks, limbs and yard clippings do not need a permit to burn. SPECIAL PHOTO
