HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 1607

and for services in safely burning inflammable materials, and
in supervising such work as provided in Section 48 of this
Article, the Forest Warden and the helpers he may be author-
ized to employ shall be paid by the State Department of For-
estry from funds advanced by or collected from the organiza-
tion or person guaranteeing the cost of the work, for which
payments a full accounting shall be made to the said organ-
ization or person by means of accounts and vouchers certified
by the Forest Warden and approved by the State Forester.
The rates to be paid under this section shall be determined
by the Regents of the University of Maryland, or their legal
successors as the controlling Board of the State Department
of Forestry.

50. Upon the petition of the persons owning fifty-five per
cent, of the forest and brush land area in any election district
within the County or Counties designated in Section 52 of this
Article, to the State Forester, he may designate such dis-
trict as a special fire prevention area, and within such area
no person, firm or corporation shall set, maintain, or increase
cause or procure the setting1, maintenance or increase of a fire
in the open air at any time unless the ground is substantially
covered with snow, except in strict accord with a written
permit secured from the State Forester or his duly author-
ized agent, covering a period not exceeding ten days from the
date thereof; provided, that certain improved sections remote
from woodlands or grassy fields may be exempt by the State
Forester from the requirements for permits; and provided,
further, that certain regulations applicable to each fire pre-
vention area, defining times of the year when permits may not
be required, and other rules for issuance, cancellation, and
renewal of such permits, shall be formulated by the State
Forester subject to approval by the Board of County
Commissioners of the County in which such fire pre-
vention area is created. It shall be the duty of the
State Forester to prepare the proper form of permit to be
used in carrying out the provisions of this section. The State
Forester and his duly authorized agents shall at all times
have authority to refuse permits, to revoke the same, and to
postpone their use when issued, when they shall deem it neces-
sary so to do in the interest of public safety. Any permits
obtained by misrepresentation shall be invalid the same as
though cancelled by the State Forester. Whoever sets, main-
tains, or increases, or causes or procures the setting, main-
tenance or increase of a fire in the open air in any such spe-
cial fire prevention area, except in strict accord with a written
permit as prescribed in this section, shall be guilty of a mis-
demeanor, and upon conviction be punished by a fine of not
less than ten dollars ($10. 00) or more than one hundred dol-