NJ A5782

Requires the Department of Environmental Protection to finalize rules and commence administration of its prescribed burn program within 18 months of the bill's enactment, with mandatory annual goals of conducting prescribed burns on at least 50,000 acres in the pinelands area and 10,000 additional acres statewide

Limits all prescribed burns to be conducted between November and March, prior to New Jersey's peak wildfire season, and requires the department to publish an online prescribed burn calendar showing scheduled dates, locations, and volunteer sign-up options for local fire officials

Establishes a Forest Fire Service training program for private landowners, local fire officials, government officials, and nonprofit personnel on best practices for developing prescribed burn plans and conducting safe burn operations

Creates Mobile Prescribed Burn Units within the Forest Fire Service to deploy to fire-prone areas during November-March for on-site training, monitoring, and assistance, and during peak fire season to evaluate effectiveness of completed burns

Mandates the department identify and report to the Governor and Legislature any legal barriers hindering the development of prescribed burn plans or burn operations, particularly in areas most at risk of wildfire due to accumulated fuel