(a) Cooperation by the department, as provided in this article, with a person desiring to use prescribed burning as a means of converting brush-covered lands into forage lands or to help meet wildland management goals, which has as its objective the prevention of high intensity wildland fires, watershed management, range improvement, vegetation management, forest improvement, wildlife habitat improvement, restoring ecological integrity and resilience, community wildfire protection, carbon resilience, enhancement of culturally important resources, and maintenance of air quality, or any combination thereof, is declared to be for a public purpose.
(b) This article shall be administered by the director or, if responsibility therefor is delegated by the director, by the chief of a county fire department in a county contracting with the department pursuant to Section 4129.
(c) In furtherance of this article, the department shall provide advisory service to applicants for permits as to precautions to be taken by the applicant to prevent damage to the property of others by reason of the prescribed burning, and shall provide standby fire protection, to the extent the personnel, fire crews, and firefighting equipment are available.