Last

week's rain may have come just in time for

homeowners wanting to burn leaves and other yard

debris.

"We

were very concerned about the dry weather,"

said Capt. Pete Nelms, public information officer

for the Fayette County Department of Fire and

Emergency Services. "We were going to work

on making a determination about whether we should

delay the start of burning permits," he

added.

For

environmental and safety reasons, outside burning

is not permitted in the Atlanta area from June

through September.

"At

this time, it looks like residents will be able

to burn [as usual] starting Oct. 1," Nelms

said.

If

things change, though, the fire department always

has the right to deny permits, he said.

Fayette

has a burn permit phone line for residential

permits at 770-460-5730, extension 468.

Developers and contractors burning large amounts

of debris must get a commercial permit at

770-461-1321, extension 414.

If

conditions aren't right for outdoor burning,

callers to the residential permit line will hear

a recording to that effect. If conditions are

fine, they can use their touchtone phones to get

a permit over the phone.

"Please

follow the guidelines on the recording for safe

outdoor burning practices," Nelms said.

Permit

holders frequently violate the rules by burning

after dark, he said. If a fire is not fully

extinguished by dark, firefighters have to go out

and put out that fire, taking them away from

emergency duty, he said.

"The

fire department reserves the right to extinguish

any fire for any reason," he added.

The

burn permit line is good only for unincorporated

areas of the county, plus Tyrone, Brooks and

Woolsey. Reisdents of Peachtree City and

Fayetteville must contact their own fire

departments for permits.

Fayetteville

doesn't require permits, said Fire Chief Allan

Jones, "but we do ask them to give us a call

and let us know where they are and what they'll

be doing in case there are calls.

"That

gives us a chance to give them the

guidelines," he added. Commercial burning in

Fayetteville does require a permit. Phone

770-461-4548.

Peachtree

City residents should call 770-631-2588,

extension 555, to get permits for outdoor

burning.

two-minute recording will explain the rules for

burning and inform callers if weather conditions

don't permit burning on that day.

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