Burn Permits Required Starting Today

Beginning today, burn permits are required in the state of Tennessee to burn any vegetation, such as leaves, tree limbs and brush piles. This also includes debris piles from the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.

State Forester Heather Slayton says that escaped debris burns are the leading cause of wildfires, so it is important that Tennesseans take fire safety seriously. She says due to the vast amount of woody debris from Hurricane Helene and other recent storms across the state, they expect more outdoor burning than usual this year. Burn permits are free and can be obtained at www.BurnSafeTN.org or by using the MyTN mobile app. Online permits are issued 7 days a week, 8 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

The Division of Forestry says you should obtain a permit on the day you intend to burn any size leaf, brush, or debris pile or conduct a prescribed fire. Each fire should be completely extinguished by the permit expiration and no fire should be left unattended at any time. Burning without a permit is a prosecutable Class C misdemeanor in Tennessee.