How to get a permit for a bonfire in Gwinnett County

If you want to warm up with a bonfire in Gwinnett County, you may need to get the okay from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services first.

Bonfires sponsored by civic, educational, religious or other groups must file for a free permit to hold bonfires, said Capt. Tommy Rutledge of Fire and Emergency Services. Private citizens can have recreational fires in appropriate chimineas or outdoor fireplaces on their property without getting a permit.

Groups looking to hold a bonfire must submit a permit application in advance of the planned event. The permit is typically approved on the same day it is applied for, and an inspection of the event site is conducted the day before or the day of the event, Rutledge said.

Bonfires must have a “competent person” at the site until they are extinguished, and that person must have access to a hose connected to a water supply, or some other fire extinguishing equipment, according to county code.

You can file for a permit online, but you must register first. You can also file the application at the Gwinnett County Department of Planning and Development at 446 W. Crogan St., Suite 150, in Lawrenceville.