The Florida Senate

590.082  Extraordinary fire hazard; certain acts made unlawful; proclamations by the Governor.--

(1)  When the Governor has by proclamation declared a drought emergency to exist and described the general boundaries of the area affected as prescribed in s. 590.081 and the drought emergency continues until the forest, grass, woods, wild lands, fields, or marshes become so dry or parched as to create an extraordinary fire hazard endangering life and property, it shall be unlawful for any person, except the owner or his or her agents or other persons regularly engaged in harvesting, processing, or moving forest or farm products, to enter or travel in any public or private forest lands, grasslands, woods, fields, or marshes within the area described by proclamation, except on public roads or highways or on well-defined private roads. Further, it shall be unlawful for any person to carry on any nonessential activities during such periods in the area affected.

(2)  The Commissioner of Agriculture, upon the advice of the director of the Division of Forestry, will, with the consent of the chair of the board of county commissioners of the affected county or counties, advise the Governor when forests, grass, woods, wild lands, fields, or marshes in any county, counties, or area within a county of this state, because of prolonged emergency drought conditions, become so dry or parched as to create an extraordinary fire hazard endangering life or property. The Governor may by proclamation declare an extraordinary fire hazard to exist and describe the general boundaries of the area affected.

(3)  Any proclamation promulgated by the Governor under authority of this section shall be effective immediately upon filing same with the Department of State and shall remain in effect until, when conditions warrant, an order of revocation of proclamation is made by the Governor and filed with the Department of State.

(4)  Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be punished as for a misdemeanor as provided by s. 590.14.

History.--s. 1, ch. 71-293; s. 1, ch. 75-264; s. 955, ch. 97-103.