16 U.S.C. § 551c: Limitations on prescribed burns

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. 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. the number and locations of prescribed burns during that fiscal year; and each prescribed burn during that fiscal year that was authorized by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b). 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. The term ‘prescribed burn’ means a planned fire intentionally ignited. The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.”