The last week or so in Coffee County has been fire-palooza. Fires of all kinds, including out of control brush fires and structure fires, have been reported. The local fire departments and the Georgia Forestry Commission have been wide open answering such calls.
At the moment, the City of Douglas is not issuing burn permits. In the county, residents do not need a burn permit unless it is for a pile that has been prepared by equipment, such as an excavator or bulldozer. If it’s self-piled debris, it’s not illegal to burn.
But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
All week long, the local fire departments have worked overtime answering fire calls. Most have started as small trash fires that got out of hand. A number of have spread to homes, resulting in major structure fires. The reason is because of the windy weather. March is always a windy month but the 2025 edition is windier than usual. The winds are causing the fires to spread and are resulting in major problems throughout the county.
As such, emergency personnel are asking that, if possible, please refrain from burning trash, particularly in the county. Even small trash fires can get out of hand and turn into major fire events. For more information, contact representatives from the city and/or county fire departments. They will advise you on when it is appropriate to burn trash and debris.