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Agency & Legal

Prescribed burns must comply with all relevant laws and regulations.  Below you will find important legal and regulatory resources for burning in Pennsylvania.

Legal Documents.

These documents provide standards, establish common terminology and definitions, and identify planning and implementation procedures for the use of prescribed fire in Pennsylvania, specifying what is minimally acceptable.  Organizations may choose to establish additional standards and policy direction, but they must adhere to – and cannot modify – these minimums.

PA Prescribed Burning Practices Act

State law regulating prescribed burning practices, providing for the powers and duties of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Protection, and establishing certain immunities.

Prescribed Burning Practices Act of July 17, 2009

PA Prescribed Fire Standards

State regulations providing standards, establishing common terminology and definitions, and identifying planning and implementation procedures for the use of prescribed fire in Pennsylvania.
 

Pennsylvania Prescribed Fire Standards dated January 2026​

PA Prescribed Fire Standards -
Appendices

  • Appendices A + B
    Prescribed Fire Plan Template and Go / No Go Checklist
     

  • Appendices C + D + E
    Prescribed Fire Qualifications Standards, CPBM Program, and Fire Experience Log
     

  • Appendices F + G
    Bureau of Forestry Districts Map and District Forest Fire Wardens
     

  • Appendix H
    Prescribed Fire Complexity Rating Worksheet
     

  • Appendix I
    Air Quality Forecast and DEP Offices

PA Agency Contacts.

Dept. of Environmental Protection

To submit burn plans and burn-day notifications to DEP, follow these instructions and use this online portal.

 

Contact information for DEP offices can be found in Appendix I of the PA Prescribed Fire Standards.

Dept. of Conser-vation & Natural Resources

Bureau of Forestry contacts can be found in Appendices F + G of the PA Prescribed Burn Standards.
 

​Locate State Forest and State Park information at this link.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

Contact information for PGC offices can be found at this link.

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