Title PRC — California Pub. Res. Code

As used in this chapter: (a) “Board” means the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. (b) “Department” means the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (c) “Director” means the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection.

(a) There is in the Resources Agency the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which is under the control of an executive officer known as the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection. The director is appointed by the Governor and holds office at the pleasure of the Governo…

Notwithstanding Section 701, Section 12805 of the Government Code, or any other provision of law, on and after January 1, 1987, the Department of Forestry shall be the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. On and after that date, any reference to the Department of Forestry …

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on and after January 1, 2007, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection may be referred to, where appropriate and as determined by the director, as CAL-FIRE. (b) No existing supplies, forms, insignias, signs, or logos shall be …

(a) Pursuant to Section 13100 of the Health and Safety Code, there is within the department the Office of the State Fire Marshal. (b) There shall be a Chief Deputy Director of Forestry and Fire Protection who shall administer the Office of the State Fire Marshal and who shall be …

The director shall appoint a cultural burning liaison who shall do all of the following: (a) Advise the department on developing increased cultural burning activity. (b) Engage with California Native American tribes, tribal organizations, and cultural fire practitioners, as defin…

The department may expend the money in any appropriation or in any special fund in the State Treasury made available by law for the administration of the statutes the administration of which is committed to the department, or for the use, support, or maintenance of any board, bur…

The department shall have possession and control of all records, books, papers, offices, equipment, supplies, moneys, funds, appropriations, land, and other property, real or personal, held for the benefit or use of all bodies, offices, and officers whose duties, powers, and func…

Whenever the department has received and deposited any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the General Fund in an excessive amount or in error, or whenever a refund of all or a portion of such money is due any person, firm, or corporation because of the termination of an…

(a) Any moneys recovered by the department in a civil action to recover state costs related to fire suppression, rescue, or emergency medical services pursuant to Section 13009 of the Health and Safety Code shall be deposited by the department into the Treasury as provided in Sec…

For the purpose of disseminating information relating to its activities, powers, duties, or functions, the department, with the approval of the Department of General Services, may issue publications, construct and maintain exhibits, and perform such acts and carry on such functio…

The provisions of Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11150) of Part 1 of Division 6 of Title 2 of the Government Code apply to the director. The director may appoint, in accordance with the State Civil Service Act, such deputies, officers, and other employees as may be necessary.…

The director shall have no power to amend or repeal any order, regulation, ruling, or directive of the board.

The director, with approval of the Director of Finance, may accept on behalf of the department federal grants for the purposes for which the department is established. Such grants shall be deposited in the Special Deposit Fund in the State Treasury provided for by Section 16370 o…

Notwithstanding any other provision of this code or of law, and except as provided in the State Building Standards Law, Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 18901) of Division 13 of the Health and Safety Code, on and after January 1, 1980, the Director of Forestry and Fire Protectio…

The department is responsible for the fire protection, fire prevention, maintenance, and enhancement of the state’s forest, range, and brushland resources, contract fire protection, associated emergency services, and assistance in civil disasters and other nonfire emergencies. De…

The department is responsible for all of the following: (a) Providing fire protection, fire prevention, pest control, and forest and range protection and enhancement implements and apparatus as necessary. (b) Maintaining an integrated staff to accomplish fire protection, fire pre…

The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in cooperation with the Office of Emergency Services, shall develop a program to certify active duty military pilots to engage in firefighting in the state.

(a) Upon approval by the Department of Finance, the department may exercise the same authority granted to the Division of the State Architect and the Real Estate Services Division in the Department of General Services, to plan, design, construct, and administer contracts and prof…

(a) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall establish a working group on expanding wood product markets that can utilize woody biomass, especially biomass that is removed from high hazard zones, as determined by the department. These markets include, but are not limit…

(a) There is in the department a State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection consisting of nine members appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. (b) (1) On and after January 1, 1998, wherever any reference is made in any law to the State Board of Forestry…

All members of the board shall be appointed and shall be selected and approved for appointment on the basis of their educational and professional qualifications and their general knowledge of, interest in, and experience with, problems relating to watershed management (including …

The Legislature declares that some individuals appointed as members of the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection are required to be chosen from backgrounds in the forest products and range livestock industries in order to represent and further the interests of those industr…

Each member of the board shall hold office for four years from the expiration of the term of his or her predecessor. Vacancies shall be immediately filled by the Governor.

Each member of the board shall receive compensation for each day during which the member engaged in the performance of official duties, except that the total number of days for which a member, other than the chairperson, may be compensated shall not exceed 80 days in any one fisc…

The board shall maintain its headquarters in Sacramento and shall hold meetings at such times and at such places as shall be determined by it. Five members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting any business of the board. A majority affirmative vote…

(a) A member of the board shall not participate in a board action pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 4601) or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4621) of Chapter 8 of Part 2 of Division 4 that involves the board member or a person with whom the board member is connect…

The Governor shall designate the chair of the board from among the members of the board. The person designated as the chair shall hold the office at the pleasure of the Governor. The board shall annually elect a vice chair from among its members.

The board may appoint an executive officer who shall be exempt from civil service pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 4 of Article VII of the California Constitution.

The board shall represent the state’s interest in the acquisition and management of state forests as provided by law and in federal land matters pertaining to forestry, and the protection of the state’s interests in forest resources on private lands, and shall determine, establis…

(a) The board shall appoint a Range Management Advisory Committee and shall consult with the advisory committee on rangeland resource issues under consideration by the board. (b) The advisory committee shall consist of 11 members, who shall be selected as follows: (1) Three membe…

(a) On or before July 1, 2025, the Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, fire ecologists with expertise in the full range of California’s vegetation communities, and the University of Ca…

State agencies shall submit to the board plans for, and the results of, all investigations that relate to, or have an effect upon, forest resource utilization for review and comment. The board may, at its expense, contract with any state or local agency to investigate and report …

The board shall implement a public information program on matters involving forest management and shall maintain an information file on forest management research and other pertinent matters.

This article may be known and cited as the Professional Foresters Law.

The purpose of this article is to declare the existence of a public interest in the management and treatment of the forest resources and timberlands of this state and to provide for the regulation of persons who practice the profession of forestry and whose activities have an imp…

(a) “Professional forester,” as used in this article, means a person who, by reason of their knowledge of the natural sciences, mathematics, and the principles of forestry, acquired by forestry education and experience, performs services, including, but not limited to, consultati…

“Forestry,” as used in this article, refers to the science and practice of managing forested landscapes and the treatment of the forest cover in general, and includes, among other things, the application of scientific knowledge and forestry principles in the fields of fuels manag…

“Forested landscapes” means those tree dominated landscapes and their associated vegetation types on which there is growing a significant stand of tree species, or which are naturally capable of growing a significant stand of native trees in perpetuity, and is not otherwise devot…

“Person” as used in this article means any natural person.

Nothing in this article prohibits any person from engaging in those activities otherwise restricted to professional foresters, certified specialists, or qualified but exempt certificants, provided a registrant is in charge of the professional practice or work of that person and a…

This article does not apply to a landowner who is a natural person and who personally performs services of a professional forester, when those services are personally performed on lands owned by that person.

This article shall not be construed to authorize a registered professional forester to practice civil engineering as defined in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code or to practice land surveying as defined in Chapter 15 (comm…

The board may by regulation adopt such rules and regulations pursuant to Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11371) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, as it determines are reasonably necessary to enable it to carry into effect the provisions of this artic…

The board shall consider matters pertaining to the registration of professional foresters at least once every six months at regular meetings and may, as necessary, meet solely for the purpose of considering matters to carry out the provisions of this article.

The board may hire the clerical and secretarial employees, technical personnel, and other staff who are necessary and budgeted to properly assist the work of the board in carrying out the purposes of this article. This staff personnel shall be subject to the relevant system and p…

The board shall keep a complete record of all applications for registration and certification and the board’s action thereon.

The board may by regulation provide for the issuance of certificates of specialization in such fields of specialization as the board may by regulation establish.

(a) The board shall establish an examining committee of at least seven members composed of the following, who shall be appointed by the board and serve at its pleasure: (1) Two public members with one selected from the membership of the board. (2) At least four professional fores…

A person appointed to serve upon the examining committee shall receive, if requested, one hundred dollars ($100) for each day during which that person is engaged in the performance of their official duties, except that the compensation of each member shall not exceed in any one f…