[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 130, 114th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


Public Law 114-275
114th Congress

An Act


 
To require limitations on prescribed burns. <>

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <>
SECTION 1. <>  SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Prescribed Burn Approval Act of
2016''.
SEC. 2. <> 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. <> 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) <>  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; and

[[Page 1406]]

(2) each prescribed burn during that fiscal year that was
authorized by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b).

Approved December 14, 2016.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 3395:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016):
Nov. 17, considered and passed Senate.
Dec. 5, considered and passed House.