590.12  Unlawful burning prohibited; penalty.--

(1)  It is unlawful for any person:

(a)  To burn or cause to be burned, or to set fire to or cause fire to be set to, any forest, grass, woods, wild land, marsh, or vegetative-land-clearing debris owned or controlled by such person without first obtaining authorization from the Division of Forestry;

(b)  To fail to provide adequate fire lines, personnel, and firefighting equipment for the control of such fire;

(c)  To fail to watch over a fire authorized under paragraph (a) until it is extinguished; or

(d)  To permit a fire authorized under paragraph (a) to escape from the authorized area.

However, no authorization shall be required for the setting of a fire in a forest protection district when written permission to set such fire has been obtained from a duly appointed fire warden.

(2)  A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.