As our weather continues to improve and storm debris is being gathered, the Foley Fire Department is asking all area residents and property owners to refrain from open burning for safety and compliance with the current burn ban.
Baldwin County is one of 12 counties currently under the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) burn ban effective from May 1 through October 31 each year. The purpose of this burn ban is to combat the formation of ground-level ozone and the generation of fine particulate matter during the warm weather months.
There are certain agricultural practice exemptions that apply during this burn ban, but with the enormous amounts of vegetative debris in non-agricultural areas from the effects of Hurricane Sally, we are asking that all areas in the Foley Fire Jurisdiction refrain from burning until November 1. At that time, any properties located within the City Limits of Foley will still need to comply with the City ordinance regarding open burning.
These properties, if eligible, will still require burn permits issued by the Foley Fire Chief. State law says “only vegetation and untreated wood” can be burned, and non-vegetative materials, such as oils, plastics, vinyl, paper, garbage, trash and treated and painted wood, cannot be burned anywhere in the state at any time.