4491-4494
PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE
SECTION 4491-4494
4491. Cooperation by the department, as provided in this article, with any person desiring to use prescribed burning as a means of converting brush-covered lands into forage lands, which has as its objective prevention of high intensity wildland fires, watershed management, range improvement, vegetation management, forest improvement, wildlife habitat improvement, and maintenance of air quality, or any combination thereof, is declared to be for a public purpose. This article shall be administered by the director or, if responsibility therefor is delegated by the director, by the chief of a county fire department in a county contracting with the department pursuant to the provisions of Section 4129. In furtherance of the provisions of this article, the department shall provide advisory service to applicants for permits as to precautions to be taken by the applicant to prevent damage to the property of others by reason of the prescribed burning, and shall provide standby fire protection, to such extent as personnel, fire crews, and firefighting equipment are available. 4492. Any person, firm, or corporation, or any group or combination of persons, firms, corporations or groups, that owns or controls brush-covered land within a state responsibility area may apply to the department for permission to burn the brush from such lands. The application shall be on a form prescribed by the department and shall contain a description of the lands and such other pertinent information as the department may require. 4493. Upon receipt of an application, the department shall inspect such land in company with the applicant to determine whether a permit shall be granted, shall prescribe the manner in which the site for the prescribed burning shall be prepared, and shall require such precautions to be taken by the applicant as may be considered reasonable to prevent damage to the property of others by reason of such burning. The precautions shall, if deemed necessary, include the advance preparation of firebreaks and the firefighting equipment and personnel desirable to conduct the prescribed burning. 4494. Upon the conclusion of the examination provided for in Section 4493, the department may issue to the applicant a burning permit which shall specify the site preparation requirements and required precautions to be exercised prior to and during the burning. The issuance of a permit by the department does not relieve the holder of the permit from the duty of exercising due diligence to avoid damage to property of others in conducting the burning of vegetation as authorized by the permit.