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<chapter num="04" heading="Forest Fire Protection" title_num="08" subtitle_num="07">
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Definitions.">
    <text>In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated:</text>
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>“Authorities having jurisdiction” means organizations, offices, or individuals responsible for enforcing requirements of a code or standard, or for approving equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>“Director” means the Director of the Department of Natural Resources — Forest Service, or the Director’s authorized representative.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>“Disposal area” means any sanitary landfill or similar disposal facility, whether publicly or privately owned, that disposes of flammable material by open air burning.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>“Fireworks” means combustible, implosive, or explosive compositions, substances, combinations of substances, or articles that are prepared to produce a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion, implosion, deflagration, or detonation.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="E.">
      <text>“Open air burning” means a fire where any material is burned in the open, except for small recreational fires such as campfires.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="F.">
      <text>“Prescribed burning” means the planned scientific application of fire with an intent to confine it to a predetermined area.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="G.">
      <text>“Slash” means the residue accumulating or left on the ground as a result of felling, thinning, improvement cutting, weeding, cleaning, girdling, poisoning, or trimming of trees or other woody vegetation.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="H.">
      <text>“Woodland” means a public or private area in any stage of growth of woody vegetation.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Application.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>This regulation applies to activities in woodland and within 200 feet of woodland, or activities adjacent to or within an area where flammable materials, that could ignite and carry fire to woodland, are located.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>These regulations do not apply inside the limits of incorporated towns.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" heading="Open Air Burning.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>A person may not engage in open air burning except under the following conditions:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>There is a natural or constructed fire break at least 10 feet wide completely around the material to be burned that is free of flammable materials;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Adequate personnel and equipment are present to prevent the fire from escaping;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>At least one responsible person remains at the location of the fire until the last spark is out; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(4)">
        <text>Burning occurs between the hours of 4 p.m. and 12 midnight, except that when the ground is covered with snow the burning may occur at any time so long as all other requirements are met.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>A person may engage in open air burning, or prescribed burning, which does not comply with §A of this regulation, if the person has submitted a plan for that burning to the Department for review and the Department has issued a permit for that burning. The Director may require conditions in the permit which are more stringent or less stringent than the requirements in §A of this regulation.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>In addition to the conditions and requirements in A and B of this regulation, a person engaged in open air burning or prescribed burning shall comply with all other requirements of State and local authorities having jurisdiction.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" heading="Disposal Areas.">
    <text>A person may not dispose of flammable material in a disposal area by open air burning, unless there is a cleared strip, free of all flammable material, around the disposal area at least 100 feet wide measured horizontally, and unless a permit has been issued by the Director in accordance with Regulation .03 of this chapter.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".05" heading="Slash Disposal.">
    <text>A person may not conduct any operation which allows slash to remain within 50 feet, measured horizontally, from the ditch line on either side of any public highway.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".06" heading="Litter.">
    <text>A person may not deposit any refuse, debris, or other flammable material in woodland, or in an area of flammable material likely to carry fire to woodland, within 50 feet measured horizontally from the ditch line on either side of a public roadway.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".07" heading="Spark Arrestors.">
    <text>A person may not operate an internal combustion engine in woodland or in an area of flammable material likely to carry fire to woodland, unless equipped with a United States Forest Service approved spark arresting muffler in good operating condition.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".08" heading="Fireworks.">
    <text>A person may not detonate fireworks in woodland or in an area of flammable material likely to carry fire to woodland, unless there is a safety strip 10 feet wide and the fireworks are detonated less than 3 feet above the ground.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".09" heading="Burning Ban.">
    <text>Under prolonged or unusual conditions conducive to easy starting and spread of wildfire, the Director may declare a complete ban on all open air burning in woodland or in areas of flammable material likely to carry fire to woodland, through the state or in any specific area.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".10" heading="Discarding Burning Material.">
    <text>A person may not discard any burning object or material in woodland or in an area of flammable material likely to carry fire to woodland.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".11" heading="Scope.">
    <text>This regulation is in addition to and supplements all laws and regulations relating to open air burning.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".12" heading="Maryland Forest Service Towers and Properties.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>The Maryland Forest Service Towers and Properties system consists of the areas in §B of this regulation, as delineated on maps filed in the Office of the Secretary of Natural Resources.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Names and Locations of Maryland Forest Service Towers and Properties. The general locations of State-owned Maryland Forest Service towers and properties are as follows:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Allegany — Dan's Rock; Town Hill; Warrior Mountain;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Anne Arundel — Long Hill Tower and Office;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>Baltimore — Cub Hill Tower and Office;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(4)">
        <text>Caroline — Interstate;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(5)">
        <text>Cecil — Black Hill Tower and Office; Pleasant Hill;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(6)">
        <text>Charles — Welcome;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(7)">
        <text>Dorchester — Church Creek Tower and Office;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(8)">
        <text>Harford — Madonna Tower and Office;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(9)">
        <text>Garrett — Elder Hill; High Rock; Thayerville;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(10)">
        <text>Frederick — Lamb's Knoll; High Knob;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(11)">
        <text>Somerset — Green Hill; Princess Anne Office;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(12)">
        <text>Washington — McClellan's Lookout;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(13)">
        <text>Wicomico — Powellville Tower and Office;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(14)">
        <text>Worcester — Nassawango Tower and Office.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>A person may not trespass on Maryland Forest Service towers or properties.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <annotations>
    <annotation type="Authority">Natural Resources Article, §§5-209 and 5-604, Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: March 28, 1975 (2:8 Md. R. 561)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Chapter revised effective July 5, 1982 (9:13 Md. R. 1350)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01 amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 271)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01A amended effective March 23, 2009 (36:6 Md. R. 489)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .03 amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 271)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .12 adopted effective March 23, 2009 (36:6 Md. R. 489)</annotation>
  </annotations>
</chapter>