(a) Flammable forest product residue may be accumulated in piles, within any state responsibility area, within any area receiving fire protection by the director by contract, or upon federal lands administered by the United States Department of Agriculture or the Department of Interior, when the area surrounding the piles is cleared and kept clear of all flammable vegetation and debris, including trees, snags, brush, grass, slash, and litter in accordance with one of the following procedures:

(1) Clearing to a distance of 45.7 meters (150 feet) from the periphery of the piles of flammable residue and all structures and lumber piles which are situated within 15.2 meters (50 feet) of the residue piles.

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(2) Clearing to a distance of 30.5 meters (100 feet) from the periphery of the piles of flammable residue and all structures and lumber piles which are situated within 15.2 meters (50 feet) of the residue piles, and maintaining at all times a firebreak three meters (10 feet) or more in width cleared of all flammable material and constructed in a continuous line surrounding the accumulation at a distance of not less than 15.2 meters (50 feet) nor more than 91.4 meters (300 feet) from the periphery of the clearing surrounding the accumulation. All snags and dead trees between the firebreak and the periphery of the clearing shall be felled.

(3) Sound and living trees may be left standing within the areas required to be cleared of flammable residue, provided the following requirements are met:

(A) Wildfire cannot travel into the canopy of any tree left standing.

(B) Any tree left standing does not pose a fire safety threat or prevent fire equipment access to and near the flammable forest waste material.

(C) All dead limbs, and all limbs within 3 meters (10 feet) of the ground are removed from any tree left standing.

(D) Diseased or dead trees are removed entirely.

(b) Disposal by fire, if contemplated, is a responsibility of the operator or landowner or the operator and landowner, jointly, and shall be accomplished in conformance with Section 4423 and all other applicable provisions of law.

(Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1333, Sec. 16.)