(a) In accordance with policies established by the board, the department shall assist local governments in preventing future high-intensity wildland fires and instituting appropriate fuels management by making its wildland fire prevention and vegetation management expertise available to local governments to the extent possible within the department’s budgetary limitations.
(b) Any department recommendations made pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be advisory in nature and local governments shall not be required to follow those recommendations.
(c) This section does not alter the existing obligations of a local government or affect the existing liability of any local government.
(d) For purposes of this section, “local governments” include cities, counties, and special districts.