GEORGIA — Several Georgia counties are now under an annual summer burn ban, starting Wednesday.

The ban, issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, runs from May 1-Sept. 30 for 54 Georgia counties and prohibits the burning of yard and land-clearing debris. Campfires and grilling are permissible.

Throughout the year, household trash cannot be burned, the EPD says.

Environment officials say in Atlanta, particularly, the ozone in the air can become unhealthy during the summertime. Fuel burning and other combustible materials are significant sources of air pollutants.

Open burning majorly contributes to pollutants that develop ozone, leading to the ban, officials say.

“Smoke from open burning includes small particles and gaseous air pollutants that can form ground-level ozone," James Boylan, EPD Air Protection Branch chief, said in a news release.

"Particulate pollution can cause chronic heart diseases and ground-level ozone can cause inflammation of the lungs, especially in children and people with asthma.”

Here's the full list of counties placed under the burn ban and contact information for their local EPD District offices:

• Mountain District Office (Atlanta), (404) 362-2671: Carroll, Clayton, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Henry, Rockdale and Spalding counties.
• Northeast District Office (Athens), (706) 369-6376: Banks, Barrow, Butts, Clarke, Hall, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Putnam and Walton counties.
• East Central District Office (Augusta), (706) 667-4343: Columbia and Richmond counties.
• West Central District Office (Macon), (478) 751-6612: Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Lamar, Monroe, Peach, Pike, Twiggs, Upson, Meriwether and Troup counties.
• Mountain District Office (Cartersville), (770) 387-4900: Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Dawson, Floyd, Forsyth, Gordon, Haralson, Lumpkin, Paulding, Pickens, Polk and Walker counties.

See here for burning alternatives.