Private burning of lands.

Existing law provides that cooperation by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection with a person desiring to use prescribed burning as a means of converting brush-covered lands into forage lands, which has as its objective, among other things, the prevention of high intensity wildland fires, is a public purpose. This bill would instead provide that cooperation by the department with a person desiring to use prescribed burning as a means of converting brush-covered lands into forage lands or to help meet wildland management goals, which has as its objective, among other things, restoring ecological integrity and resilience, community wildfire protection, carbon resilience, and enhancement of culturally important resources, is a public purpose. Existing law authorizes a person, firm, or corporation, as provided, that owns or controls brush-covered land within a state responsibility area to apply to the department for permission to burn the brush from the lands. This bill would instead authorize a person, firm, or corporation, as provided, that owns or controls forest land, woodland, grassland, or shrubland within a state responsibility area to apply to the department for permission to use prescribed burning for the public purposes described above. The bill would also make conforming and technical changes.