Local fire agencies continue to respond to illegal burns and wildfires in the region

Gordon County says up to $1000 fine and up to six months in jail for burn ban violators; region sees third day of smoke haze on Tuesday due to wildfires in surrounding counties. The ban applies to all types of outdoor fires, including bonfires, campfires, leaf burning and trash burning. According to the county, fireworks are also of concern, and the only exception to the ban is small cooking fires that are contained within an outdoor grill. According to a statement from Gordon County released on Monday, Nov. 14, violation of the ban could result in a $1000 fine and up to six months in jail, and burning without permits, which are not being issued at this time, can also result in higher penalties imposed by the State of Georgia. Due to the ongoing drought and the risk of wildfires, Gov. Nathan Deal has banned the ignition of all fireworks in our region. All the counties in the region has placed some type of burn ban. Please be smart and read the rules for your county. f you see risky behavior like people throwing out burning cigarettes or having outdoor burns, please call 911. Only call 9-1-1 if you see active fire or columns of smoke from a specific area, but please be aware that smoke is wide spread across the area. The burn ban in the region will continue indefinitely while drought conditions persist.