10/07/2026
NASHVILLE — Beginning Oct. 15, Tennesseans must obtain a free burn permit before burning leaves or natural debris or conducting prescribed burns. As wildfire season begins, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF) encourages residents and visitors to observe National Fire Prevention Week by practicing fire prevention and exercising extra caution when burning outdoors. Tennessee averages about 1,000 wildfires each year, burning approximately 18,000 acres.
“More than 90% of wildfires in Tennessee are caused by human activities, including escaped debris burns,” State Forester Heather Slayton said. “That means individual actions matter – choosing to avoid burning on high fire danger days, getting a burn permit, taking steps to burn safely and staying with your fire until it is completely out can make a meaningful difference in preventing destructive wildfires in our state.”
TDF is Tennessee’s lead wildfire agency and is responsible by law for administering the burn permit system. Burn permits help TDF communicate when and where conditions are safe for burning and are issued only when fire danger is at an acceptable level. When hazardous conditions — such as high winds, very low humidity or extremely dry vegetation and debris — increase wildfire risk, TDF temporarily pauses permit issuance until conditions improve.
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