(a) The department is authorized to set management-ignited prescribed fires and manage naturally ignited prescribed fires for purposes including, but not limited to silviculture, wildlife management, habitat management, insect and/or disease control, forest fuel reduction, wildfire suppression or as an alternative action to mechanical or chemical control of vegetation.

(b) No prescribed fire, either intentionally or naturally ignited, shall be set or be allowed to burn on land constituting the forest preserve or on any State land within the Adirondack or Catskill Parks for any purpose other than fire suppression.

(c) Management-ignited prescribed fires shall not be set until a prescribed fire management plan is approved which contains provisions for notifying or waiving notification concerning such fire to local fire officials, airports, police agencies and health care facilities.