Public Law 114–275: To require limitations on prescribed burns.Public Law275Public Law 114–275130 Stat. 14052016-12-142016-12-14United States Government Publishing OfficeNational Archives and Records AdministrationOffice of the Federal Registertext/xmlENPursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.GPO Locator to USLM Converter 4.15.31;Stage2.202507022026-01-02114publicPUBLIC LAW 114–275—DEC. 14, 2016130 STAT. 1405Public Law114–275114th CongressAn ActTo require limitations on prescribed burns.
Dec. 14, 2016
[S. 3395]
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Prescribed Burn Approval Act of 2016.
SECTION 1.
16 USC 551 note.
SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the “Prescribed Burn Approval Act of 2016”.SEC. 2.
16 USC 551c–1 note.
DEFINITIONS. In this Act:(1) National fire danger rating system.—The term “national fire danger rating system” means the national system used to provide a measure of fire danger according to a range of low to moderate to high to very high to extreme.(2) Prescribed burn.—The term “prescribed burn” means a planned fire intentionally ignited.(3) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.SEC. 3.
16 USC 551c–1.
LIMITATIONS ON PRESCRIBED BURNS.(a) In General.—Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary shall not authorize a prescribed burn on Forest Service land if, for the county or contiguous county in which the land is located, the national fire danger rating system indicates an extreme fire danger level.(b)
Coordination.
Exception.—The Secretary may authorize a prescribed burn under a condition described in subsection (a) if the Secretary coordinates with the applicable State government and local fire officials.(c) Report.—At the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing—(1) the number and locations of prescribed burns during that fiscal year; and130 STAT. 1406(2) each prescribed burn during that fiscal year that was authorized by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b).ApprovedDecember 14, 2016.LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 3395:CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016):