Only 3 Weekends left until burn ban kicks in

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau reminds us that the annual burn ban begins on May 1st.

So you just have three more weekends to burn on your property in the county.

The ban lasts all summer until September 30th.

During that period, no brush, commercial or residential burning is allowed in Hamilton County.

Recreational fires… cooking or campfires using charcoal or clean untreated firewood… are allowed.

Before the deadline, you will need a burn permit.

Here is how:

• request one by phone at 423-643-5970,
• download one at www.apcb.org, or
• pick one up at the Bureau at 6125 Preservation Drive, Ste. 140, Chattanooga, TN 37416.

Residents will be charged a processing fee to help cover the expense of the program. Burning sites within the city limits of Chattanooga, Collegedale, East, Ridge, Red Bank, and Ridgeside require a $60 fee and an inspection prior to receiving a permit. This inspection will be completed by the Bureau Investigator and can take up to a week to be completed. All city applications must be turned in by noon on April 26th to receive a permit prior to the end of the season. Burning sites for areas outside of the city limits listed above require a $10 fee and usually do not need an inspection.

“We realize that seasonal burning restrictions cause a level of inconvenience for our community,” said Bob Colby, Director of the Bureau. “However, enacting the restrictions during the five hottest months of the year—when both ozone and fine particles are at high levels—gives us a real air quality advantage. It also encourages people to look into alternatives to burning, like chipping or composting.”