ATLANTA — An annual burn ban in Georgia is back in effect for 54 counties across the state.

According to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, the annual burn ban has been a state program since 2005, impacting “many of the counties in north and central Georgia.”

The division says the burn ban blocks people and businesses from burning yard and land-clearing debris during the summer ozone season, which goes from May 1 to Sept. 30.

The seasonal burn ban is on top of a year-round, statewide burn ban for household garbage in the state.

“Smoke from open burning includes small particles and gaseous air pollutants that can form ground-level ozone.  Particulate pollution can cause chronic heart diseases and ground-level ozone can cause inflammation of the lungs, especially in children and people with asthma,” James Boylan, Chief of the EPD Air Protection Branch said in a statement.

Campfires and grilling are exempt from the state’s burn bans, though, according to EPD.

Counties included in the ban as follows, along with regional contacts for EPD:

• Mountain District Office (Atlanta): 404-362-2671 Carroll, Clayton, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Henry, Rockdale, and Spalding counties.
• Northeast District Office (Athens): 706-369-6376 Banks, Barrow, Butts, Clarke, Hall, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Putnam, and Walton counties.
• East Central District Office (Augusta): 706-667-4343 Columbia and Richmond counties.
• West Central District Office (Macon): 478-751-6612 Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Lamar, Monroe, Peach, Pike, Twiggs, Upson, Meriwether, and Troup counties.
• Mountain District Office (Cartersville): 770-387-4900 Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Dawson, Floyd, Forsyth, Gordon, Haralson, Lumpkin, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, and Walker counties.

Once the seasonal burn ban is over, EPD recommends the following safety tips if you plan to burn hand-piled natural vegetation like yard debris or leaf piles:

• Burn location must be no less than 25 feet from any woodlands, forestland or field that contains brush, grass, or other flammable material.
• Burn location must be no less than 50 feet from structures, which includes homes, outbuildings, sheds, and barns.
• Burning must take place between sunrise and sunset.
• Person responsible must attend burning at all times until the fire is completely extinguished and there is no risk for burning to escape control.
• Person responsible must take reasonable and necessary precautions to prevent fire escape or spread from the original location.

For burn alternatives, like composting and chipping, EPD has a list of options online.

Additionally, you can find a list of landfills for hauling debris online here.