Per Tennessee State Law, it is illegal to burn trash, treated lumber, or other man made items. Additionally, a person cannot burn debris that is hauled from another person's property. That debris must be burnt on the property it was grown on or from.

Within the Town of Nolensville, a burn permit must be submitted to the department at all times throughout the year based on the activities listed below. You can obtain a burn permit through our Community Connect platform. A state issued burn permit is not required within the Nolensville Town limits.

If you are in the county but outside the town limits, between October 15th and May 15th, you are only required to file a burn permit with the state forestry department. You can do so by visiting Public Burn Permit or by calling 1-800-367-3507.

For your information:
If you are burning and it creates/adds to a hazardous situation or you do not have the required burn permit, the Nolensville Fire Chief or Assistant Fire Chief are authorized to extinguish the open burn immediately. Also, please submit your burn permit request at least 48 hours prior to the activity date.

Burn Permits are required but not limited to the following activities below:

• Non-commercial fires used for cooking food including barbeques and outdoor fireplaces.

• Commercial incinerators.

• Commercial barbeque, fireplace, or cooker.

• Non-commercial fires used for ceremonial or recreation purposes including bonfires and cookouts.

• Fires set at the direction and under the supervision of responsible fire control persons for training purposes or directed at the prevention, elimination, or reduction of fire hazards.

• Demolition of structures may be conducted by open burning provided that there is unilaterally issued state or local building codes order to demolish the structure by open burning because of a structural failure or potential structural failure. Such orders will be recognized only where there is no other safe way to demolish the structure and responsible fire control personnel are on-site at all times until the fire is extinguished.

• Smokeless flares or safety flares for the combustion of waste gases.

• Fires set at the direction of law enforcement agencies or courts for the purpose of destruction of controlled substances and legend drugs seized as This does not include antineoplastic agents.

• The fire chief and the fire marshal have the authority to allow open burning where there is no other practical, safe, and/or lawful method of disposal.

• Warming fires during construction or demolition of buildings and other warming fires as approved by the fire

• Disposal of "wood waste" but only as approved by the fire chief or fire marshal.

• Natural vegetation debris from the property it was grown on.

• The fire chief or the fire marshal shall have the authority to permit or prohibit open burning not specifically addressed herein.

Open burn pile requirements:

• The location for open burning shall not be less than 50 feet from any structure. The minimum required distance from a structure shall be 25 feet for ceremonial or recreational purposes where the size is 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height.

• Portable outdoor fireplaces, for other than 1 or 2 family dwellings, shall have a minimum distance of 15 feet from a structure.

• Any natural debris burn pile(s) shall be no larger than 8 feet in diameter.

• All open burning shall be within 250 feet of an approved fire access route.

• All open burning shall be constantly attended until the fire is extinguished. Not fewer than one portable fire extinguisher with a 4-A rating, water truck, or connected and charged garden hose shall be available for immediate utilization and capable of reaching 15 feet past the burn pile.

• Open burning shall take place between the hours of 7 A.M. and 7 P.M. and are issued for 3 days from the requested start date.