The start of May means burn permits are no longer needed unless you live inside the city or town limits.
Obtaining a burn permit helps fire departments control what is burned. Livingston Fire Chief Rocky Dial said people in the Livingston city limits need permits to burn year-round.
“It stops us from making a lot of false calls and tying up resources on what people are doing, you know, burning leaves and brush and stuff when people are calling it in,” Dial said. “It prevents us from having to run to those calls when it’s not needed and tie up resources and equipment.”
Dial said burning prohibited materials such as shingles, or starting a fire near a structure are other reasons a permit could be denied. Dial said you should also avoid burning items on windy days.
“If you’re burning a large brush pile, have a safe area cleaned out around it to prevent it from getting out,” Dial said. “And make sure it’s safe to burn. The wind’s not going to get up and the humidity is where it’s safe to do the burning.”
In Livingston, Dial said the fire department will inspect the burn site before issuing a permit. Dial said other cities might have different protocols.
“If you have concerns about burning, call your local fire department,” Dial said.
More information on burn permits and safe burning can be found at BurnSafeTN Website.
