Residents of Middleton and the rest of Hardeman County who plan to burn leaves or brush this fall will need a free state permit starting Thursday, Oct. 15. Tennessee burn permits are required from Oct. 15 through May 15 for any leaf or debris pile and for prescribed burns, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry (TDF) said in an Oct. 7 announcement marking the start of wildfire season.
Tennessee averages about 1,000 wildfires a year, which burn roughly 18,000 acres, according to the state. “More than 90% of wildfires in Tennessee are caused by human activities, including escaped debris burns,” State Forester Heather Slayton said in the release. She urged residents to avoid burning on high fire danger days, get a permit, and stay with a fire until it’s completely out.
How to Get Tennessee Burn Permits
Permits are free, and the state says getting one online is the fastest way:
Online: through the state’s Burn Safe TN website or the MyTN mobile app. Online permits are issued seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time.
By phone: residents with limited internet access can call 1-877-350-BURN (2876), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central. The state warns that wait times can be long when call volume is high.
Same day: a permit must be obtained on the day you plan to burn, and it covers a leaf or debris pile of any size.
Rules and Penalties
Burning without a permit during the season is a Class C misdemeanor that can be prosecuted, the TDF said. Fires must never be left unattended and must be fully out before the permit expires.
The Division of Forestry issues permits only when fire danger is at an acceptable level. When high winds, very low humidity or extremely dry vegetation raise the risk, it temporarily stops issuing permits until conditions improve. People who live inside city limits, including in Middleton, should also check with their town for any additional local burning restrictions.
The state also asks anyone still clearing debris from past storms, such as Winter Storm Fern, to contact local government about alternatives to burning. Illegal burning can be reported to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation at 1-888-891-TDEC.
Why Fall Is Wildfire Season
Tennessee’s wildfire season usually runs from mid-October to mid-May and peaks in fall and spring, when humidity and rainfall drop and dry leaves pile up, according to the TDF. Despite summer heat, few fires start from June through September because vegetation stays green and the air stays humid.
Rain from the remnants of Hurricane Isaias this weekend may dampen the landscape for a few days. Still, residents on both sides of the state line should keep watching fire danger as the season goes on. Across the line in Mississippi, Tippah and Benton counties have been under burn bans during the recent drought. See our earlier Fire Prevention Week and burn ban coverage and the latest Isaias wind advisory for more.
For updates on wildfire news and fire risk in Tennessee, the Division of Forestry posts as @TNWildlandFire on social media.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
