§9-13-273. Liability for damage caused by fire; requirements; rules and guidelines; fees for certification or training.

(a) No property owner or his or her agent, conducting a prescribed burn in compliance with this article, shall be liable for damage or injury caused by fire or resulting smoke unless it is shown that the property owner or his or her agent failed to act within that degree of care required of others similarly situated.

(b) Prescribed burning conducted in compliance with this article shall be considered in the public interest if it meets all of the following requirements:

(1) It is accomplished only when at least one certified prescribed burn manager is supervising the burn or burns that are being conducted.

(2) A written prescription is prepared and witnessed or notarized prior to prescribed burning.

(3) A burning permit is obtained from the Alabama Forestry Commission.

(4) It is conducted pursuant to state law and rules applicable to prescribed burning.

(c) The Alabama Forestry Commission may promulgate rules for the certification of prescribed burn managers and guidelines for a prescribed burn prescription.

(d) The Alabama Forestry Commission may charge and collect fees and other payments from persons applying for certification or training as a prescribed burn manager as may be necessary to provide training required for certification as a prescribed burn manager and to carry out other administrative aspects of this article; however the expenditure of any fees charged by the Forestry Commission under this subsection shall be budgeted and allotted pursuant to the Budget Management Act and Article 4 of Chapter 4 of Title 41.

(Acts 1995, No. 95-609, p. 1304, §4.)