Fall Burn Permit Period Begins

A burn permit from the state will be required before burning leaves or natural vegetation, effective Tuesday.

Livingston Fire Chief Rocky Dial said residents can obtain a burn permit by calling the fire department and then the department will make a visit to inspect what is being burned before issuing the permit. Dial said people have to stay within certain rules to obtain burn permits.

“The items that they are burning have to meet the approval of the state to be burnt,” Dial said. “So you can’t burn trash or cars or anything like that, it’s all just debris from like tree limbs and stuff such as that and it has to be at least 200 feet from any  structure.”

Dial said if you need a burn permit please call your local fire department for assistance. Burn permits can be obtained online at the BurnSafeTN website or through the MyTN mobile app. Dial said Hurricane Helene has left lots of debris all across the Upper Cumberland and for most places burning is the only option.

“There is a lot of debris that comes from storms that a lot of the cities and counties do not have a place to take it,” Dial said. “So the best option is to burn it if the state will allow it.”

Dial said with recent dry conditions the department and state is being very cautious when issuing burn permits.

“It can be a concern especially right now with leaves starting to fall in the woods in areas like that,” Dial said. “That’s why if it’s windy or something they will not issue you a burn permit if they don’t feel like the weather conditions are safe to be burning.”

Dial said some times people will receive brush permits but end up burning trash or other materials that are not approved. Dial said the fire department will verify what is being burned in the location when issuing a burn permit. Burning without a proper burn permit is a prosecutable Class C misdemeanor.

The state requires burn permits during the driest part of the year from October through the spring, when humidity returns.