Powers and Duties

The Director shall be responsible for the development and implementation of organizational plans and consequential actions related to this Article. The Director shall designate qualified personnel as Fire Prevention Officers within the Department to:

(a)zone Guam lands under the Department’s jurisdiction into fire districts;

(b)take necessary measures for the prevention, control and extinguishment of wildland fires;

(c)establish procedures, guidelines and conditions for the issuance of burning permits;

(d)issue fire warning notices during dry periods or other seasons when fire hazards are great;

(e)close government of Guam lands to public access during dry periods when necessary to reduce fire risk, except it shall be lawful for an owner, a lessor, his or her agents or other persons regularly engaged in agricultural land preparation, planting of crops or forest seedlings or harvesting, processing or moving farm or forest products to enter the closed area for essential residential or commercial purposes;

(f)summon, when deemed necessary, additional firefighting assistance, equipment or materials to assist in fire suppression;

(g)arrest, without warrant, any person committing in his or her presence any of the offenses prohibited by this Article;

(h)assume full responsibility for directing the control and extinguishment of any fire on, or threatening government of Guam natural preserves, conservation reserves or Guam parks; and

(i)conduct education work concerning the protection of forest and grasslands from fires.